Absolute Power: The Visitor
by Chronos the Cat
Summary: When a cyborg claiming to be a future version of Sonic arrives in Knothole, Sally is faced with a momentous decision. ... Formerly Absolute Power, now mildly revised.
1. Visitor From the Future Part One

**Author's Note:** Once upon a time, I came up with a story entitled "Absolute Power". Several years later, I decided to try writing it in detail and posting it online. The results were not what I had expected. What was originally to be the Prologue became four chapters, and I got stuck after that. Since the "Prologue" stood alone alright, I decided to leave it at that until I could figure out what to do about the story.

I think I may now have a way to tell "Absolute Power" properly, but most of the events of the "Prologue" aren't even going to be in it. As such, I have decide to re-title the prologue "Visitor From the Future", edit it to better stand alone, and leave it as a separate story.

**Setting Note: **This story is set in a "Zone" (alternate universe) similar to the comic's main world, Mobius Prime. It takes place not long after issue 18 and the "In Your Face" special.

**Credits:** I have taken the song "Crankin' Super Sonic" from the SatAM Sonic episode "Sub-Sonic," which was written by Barbara Slade. According to the ending credits, the episode's music was by Michael Tavera, and supervised by Joanne Miller. (**I** certainly didn't write it!) Finally, Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters are property of Sega, and used without permission. (As if you didn't know that.)

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A Sonic the Hedgehog Fan Fiction:

Absolute Power:  
**Visitor From the Future**  
By Chronos the Cat

Chapter One:  
The Shadow of Robotnik

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Another zone, another time...

The sound of an electric guitar blared through the Great Forest, overwhelming its normal sounds. In a clearing in the forest Sonic the Hedgehog was happily practicing his playing.

Soon, he started singing as well:

"You put the pedal to the metal,  
and baby, I guarantee -  
You'll be juicin',to the tenth degree!

Crankin' Super Sonic,  
the rocket's in my pocket.  
I don't need any fuel,  
'cause I'm way-ay-ay—  
Past cool!"

He bowed and said to his nonexistent audience, "Thank you, thank you. ...Not a bad performance, if I do say so myself." _Though__ a little more practice wouldn't hurt, especially if I want to impress Sally with it, _he thought.

He prepared to go back to practicing, but stopped a moment to listen to the birds singing. It wasn't often he got a chance to hear the sounds of nature. Knothole might be a village, but it was a quite crowded one these days, what with all the refugees from Robotnik they'd taken in, so you had to get up pretty early if you wanted peace and quiet. And when Sonic was in the forest, he was usually going somewhere, at super-sonic speeds. But for once, he could relax and enjoy nature. Which is what he did. Until he got bored, about ten seconds later.

_I wonder how fast I can play the guitar?_ he thought. He then set out to find out.

The sounds of his playing spread out through the forest, but the trees muffled the sound enough that you couldn't hear it in Knothole. There, most of the other Freedom Fighters were passing time their own ways.

"Hey, Rotor! Want to play dirt-hockey with me?" Tails asked Rotor. Rotor was bent over one of his inventions in his workshop.

"Sorry, Tails, I'm busy here. If I can get this Inter-Zonal Multi-Dimensional-Framistat working, we may be able to enter the Zone of Silence and rescue the King. The only problem is I can't seem to find a way to get past the Negative Reality Barrier. Dang barrier's been stopping me for months, but I refuse to give up. There has to be a way."

"Oh," Tails sighed.

Rotor turned to look at him. "Why don't you go see if Sonic or Sally will play with you?"

Tails shook his head. "I can't find Sonic anywhere, and when I went to ask Sally, Rosie told me not to bother Sally."

"I see. Sally must still be mourning Julayla's death. Julayla was like a mother to Sally. …Hmmm… Maybe Bunnie will play with you?"

"Yeah, I'll ask her next."

Rotor turned back to his work. "Well, good luck!"

Tails found Bunnie helping some villagers repair a hut that had been damaged by a falling tree limb. At the moment she was using her mechanical strength (and extendable arms and legs) to hold up the roof while the others repaired its supports. "Oh, hi, Tails!" She said, seeing him.

Tails could tell she wouldn't be able to play with him right away—if she moved from that spot, the roof would collapse. "Hi, Bunnie," he said, disappointed.

"Oh my! What's got you down, Sugah-Tails?" she asked.

"Oh, it's just that everyone's too busy to play with me."

"Ah see. Well, as y'all mighta' noticed, ah'm a mite busy myself. But tell ya' what. How 'bout you all help me and the workers here, and afterwards, ah'll play with ya'. It shouldn't take too much longer ta finish here, 'specially with you and your 'bility ta fly helpin' us."

"You want my help?! ...Well, I guess..." Tails said with mixed feelings. On the one hand he had hoped to just play today, and wasn't sure he liked the idea of having to work. On the other hand, though, he liked being useful, and it was rare he got a chance to help out. And then of course there was the fact that Bunnie had promised to play with him afterwards. He wasn't as close to Bunnie as he was to the other Freedom Fighters, but he almost looked forwards to this opportunity all the more for that—after all, he liked having as many friends as possible.

And so, Tails helped Bunnie and the repairmen fix the hut's roof. The work was almost done (and Bunnie was no longer serving as a brace), when a blinding flash of blue light lit the village. As their eyes cleared, Bunnie, Tails, and the repairmen looked around for the source of the flash. It had come from the center of a nearby intersection. Kneeling on the dirt road with its' head lowered was something or someone that hadn't been there before.

Tails' first thought was that it looked like a hedgehog—the quills on its head were certainly similar. But the rest of its body seemed to suggest otherwise. It's arms and legs were bulkier than a hedgehog's and they (as well as what they could see of the rest of its' body other than the head) were shiny, and jointed like armor. Or, as Bunnie knew all too well, like a robot. The workmen and other villagers nearby stiffened in fear as they realized what they appeared to be dealing with.

Bunnie motioned everyone back, and steeped carefully towards the intruder. With her superb hearing (she was a rabbit, after all) she thought she heard the robot—or whatever it was—breathing in deeply. _Why would a robot breathe? _she wondered.

Slowly, the stranger stood up. As it raised its' head, even Bunnie drew back in shock. _It can't be!_ Tails was the first to give voice to what they all saw. "Sonic?!"

Indeed, the "robot's" head did in fact look just like Sonic's. The 'bot—if that was what it was—looked around at the village and all the people there, an unreadable expression on its face.

At last, the stranger spoke. "Bunnie, Tails, it's nice to see you again. In fact, it's nice to see **all **of you again. It's been far too long since I saw so many free Mobians together—let alone completely natural ones.

"I'd nearly forgotten how beautiful Knothole was, and what clean air smelled like. Man, it's good to be back. …I only wish I could stay longer." A nostalgic smile crossed his face.

Tails almost whimpered as he said, "Bunnie, what's going on?"

Bunnie glanced at Tails out of the corner of her eye, then turned back to the stranger with a stern look. "Ah don't know, Sugah-Tails, but ah think it's about time we started findin' out." She clenched her mechanical fist in front of her, and said in a louder voice, "All right, pardnah, ah think we-all deserve an explanation. Who and what are ya', and what are y'all doin' heah?"

The stranger calmly stared at Bunnie for a second then answered, "I'll answer that, but first... this **is** the year 3234, right?"

"Huh? Of course it is. Ya mean y'all weren't sure?"

"Not entirely, no. But it looks like I calculated correctly. Good, I should be out of Chrono-nik's range.

"In answer to your earlier questions, you already know who I am, or at least you've guessed. I'm Sonic. Or at least, a future version of him. I've traveled back in time because—well, that's a long story, and I don't want to have to explain it more than once. For now, let's just say I need your help.

"That's what I'm doing here. As for what I am—what I've become... In my time I'm referred to as a 'technimal.' I suppose the best word to describe it in this time would be 'cyborg' but that word doesn't come **close** to describing the level of integration between my organic and technological aspects."

"Ah see," Bunnie said skeptically. "Tails, ah think you-all bettah go get the other Freedom Fighters."

The future Sonic nodded. "Yes, why don't you do that, Tails? I need to talk with all of them." Dutifully, Tails flew off.

After a few moments, Bunnie asked, "Y'all don't really expect us to trust you, do ya?"

"Sonic" thought about this for a moment, then answered, "Expect? No. But it would still be nice if you did. Really, what reason do you have to distrust me? My appearance? I'd have thought you of all people would be above that."

Bunnie shook her head. "No, it's not that. What bothers me is this talk of time-travel. It just sounds a might suspicious if ya ask me."

"Oh, so that's it. In that case, I don't know what to tell you. It's the truth. What more can I say?"

They just stood there for a little while. After minute or so, Bunnie relaxed from the defensive stance she'd been in. She still wasn't completely at ease, though. Finally, she grew tired of just standing there, and decided to ask a question that had been on her mind. "Sonic, if that's really who y'all are; ya' say you're a cyborg."

"So to speak."

"Right. Well this is mah question: Why are you a cyborg? What happened?"

He looked away, obviously unhappy. He then looked back at Bunnie, or more precisely, at her robotic parts. Finally he spoke. "I was infected by the 'Technomorphosis Virus.' I'm not sure how to describe it in terms you'll understand. ...Basically, it's a much more advanced version of roboticization. Only instead of turning you into a robot, it turns you into a technimal. Technimals supposedly possess the best aspects of both organic life and robotic systems. We can reproduce and grow, but we can also be built and redesigned. We have our own free will, and can make our own decisions, but most technimals—besides myself—must still obey the will of Chrono-nik."

"Chrono-nik?"

"Robotnik. He re-named himself again in my time."

"Oh. So why are y'all different? Were ya not fully roboticized? That why your head is normal?"

"My head isn't really normal. It just looks that way. As far as why I still have my complete free-will, Sally was able to re-program me before she..." His voice trailed away. He looked down lost in his own thoughts. Finally he looked up again and said, "Well, anyway, if you want to talk while we wait for the others, how about **I** ask a question? I know when I am, but refresh my memory. What was our last mission, exactly?"

Bunnie considered pressing for more details regarding "technomorphosis" and why mention of the future's Sally had upset him, but she decided against it. He'd already said he only wanted to explain things once, and this was obviously one of those things. Instead, she answered his question. "Well our last mission was a few days ago, when we went into the Forbidden Zone to retrieve Julayla's last message ta' Sally."

"Hmmm... It's hard to remember much this far back. Is this around the time we were preparing for that play about me and Sal getting married?"

"Yeah, we just did that play not long ago."

"What about that time Robotnik built that super-robot... um, I think he called it 'Eve,' or something... the one that blasted him and made us think he'd been killed?"

Bunnie looked at him in confusion. "Ah have no idea what y'all are talkin' 'bout, deah."

Future Sonic frowned. "I guess that must not have happened yet. Oh, well."

The two stood there a few minutes more. Some of the spectators took advantage of this lull to run off to tell their friends about this. Whether what future-Sonic said was true or not, this was something no one wanted to miss.

…However, those who took too long **did** miss the next thing to happen. A sonic boom rocked the quit village, signaling the return of it's foremost resident (with the possible exception of Princess Sally), Sonic the Hedgehog. After that, it was only a matter of seconds until the blue-blur rocketed into the intersection to see what was going on.

After skidding to a stop, raising a cloud of dust, he stood and stared at his counterpart for about three seconds (a long time for him) before exclaiming, "Well' I'll be! It's another me! Hey there buddy, what's shakin'?"

Future Sonic smiled. "Hello there, ...Sonic. Nice to meet 'me'. ...Sorry, that's the cleverest thing I could think of to say. I've had other things on my mind."

"No problem. So what's you're deal, anyway?"

"Well, to put it simply, I'm you."

"Yeah, I guessed that. Not too many other people running around this world that are **that** good looking. But, I mean, what are you doing here? Are you, like, a version of me from another zone, like that 'Evil Sonic' guy?"

"No. When I say I'm you, I really mean it. I am what you will one day be. I'm your future self."

"My future self?"

"That's right. I've traveled back in time from the year 3346"

"Oh, I get it, like the time Robotnik sent me back to the stone-age, and I met up with Sonugh the Boghog."

"Now you've got it."

Sonic scowled. "Wait a second. What year did you say you were from? **Thirty-three** something? But if you're supposed to be me, wouldn't that make you over a hundred years old?!"

"That's right. I'm one-hundred and twenty-seven years old."

Sonic's eyebrows raised. "You sure don't look it. How could you—how could **I**—live that long?"

Bunnie said, "Maybe it has somethin' to do with the fact that he's a cyborg?"

Sonic looked over at her. "Oh, hi, Bunnie. So, what would his being a cyborg have to do with anything? And for that matter, how did he—er, 'How will I'?-- um, become a cyborg? (Man this is weird.)"

Future Sonic said, "Bunnie's right. It's my new form that has kept me alive and young looking. As for how it happened, as I explained to Bunnie, I was infected by a 'Technomorphosis Virus.' It's sorta' like being roboticized. Sally helped me get my free will back. Please don't ask me more, I've already had to explain this to Bunnie, and I'm sure I'll need to explain it to the others as well. It could get really annoying having to keep explaining it."

Present Sonic nodded. "Yeah, I can see that. Okay, I'll go get the others."

Before he could start, though, Bunnie said, "Ah already sent Tails to get them. It shouldn't be to much longer now."

"Oh, okay, I'll wait for them to get here." They stood there silent for a few moments (about four seconds) before Sonic he got bored and started tapping his foot impatiently. After a few more seconds he asked, "Alright, where are they?"

Bunnie shook her head. "Sometimes, sugar, your impatience amazes me. Why, it's only been a few minutes since you got heah!"

Future Sonic, who had been standing perfectly still with his head down, looked up at them. "Actually, it's only been one minute and forty nine point three seconds. I remembered being impatient, but I had no idea I was **this** bad."

Sonic folded his arms. "Hey, get off my case, man. You're me, right? Shouldn't that make you on **my** side?"

Future Sonic shrugged. "Sorry. I guess I've changed a lot in the past hundred-and-twelve years." He then looked back down and went back to whatever he'd been doing. Sonic noticed with annoyance that except for the shrug, his future self hadn't moved any part of his mechanical body since their first conversation had ended. _He really __**has**__ changed. I wonder how else he might have changed, and if I really want to know?_ Sonic thought, tapping his foot.

It seemed like forever to the young Sonic, but it was only a few more minutes before the other Freedom Fighters arrived. Many other villagers also came to have a look. (All those who had left had by now returned.)

The villagers all wondered what was going to happen next. Was this cyborg Sonic another of Robotnik's plots? If so, perhaps they might get to see the Freedom Fighters in action for once. Or, was he telling the truth, in which case this was a chance to learn about the future?

"Oh, there you are, Sonic," Tails said as they arrived. The others were quite shocked to see the future Sonic. "Wow!" Rotor commented.

Sally said in amazement, "Tails was right! There are two Sonics!"

Fascinated by all this, Rotor added quietly, "A most intriguing phenomena."

As for Antoine, all he could come up with was a confused "I am not to be believing my ears!"

Sonic turned to them and said, "Finally! What took you guys so long?"

Bunnie rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Yeah, y'all, you took a whole five minutes! How evah could you keep us waitin' like that? It's downright rude!"

Sally said unapologetically, "Sorry, Sonic, but not all of us can run faster than the speed of sound."

Sonic responded, as if he hadn't heard the note of sarcasm in their voices, "It's okay. All is forgiven. I realize certain allowances must be made for dealing with you 'slo-mo's. Just don't let it happen again!"

While this exchange was going on, future Sonic looked around at the newly arrived Freedom Fighters. Sally was the first he looked at, and after he'd looked at the other two, his eyes returned to her once more. After a few moments she noticed him staring at her, and looked at him. He didn't look away, and Sally found being singled out like that and studied in every last detail a bit disconcerting, even if it was by "Sonic." He looked at her as if he hadn't seen her in quite some time and had greatly missed her. She supposed that was possible, but she hadn't been separated from **him**, thus making the situation quite strange. Still, she couldn't think of anything to say, so she began studying him, though not with the same intensity he was giving his study of her.

He was slightly taller than the present Sonic, though only by about an inch. His metallic body was blue just like his skin, and it didn't have as many separations between pieces of metal as modern robots did. In fact, there didn't seam to be any seams in his metal "shell" besides those placed to allow natural body movement. His head was disconcertingly similar to Sonic's, though from its appearance it might have been a few years older. There seemed to be something odd about his eyes, though it took her a few moments to identify. The color was slightly different from Sonic's (which were brown) but more unusual were the details of the eye. For instance she could see no veins in them, and the irises had an odd, grainy look to them, which on close inspection appeared to look vaguely like circuitry. She was just noticing this, when she realized he was now looking into **her** eyes.

She suspected he could have continued just looking at her for many more minutes, or maybe even hours, but she was beginning to find it a bit uncomfortable. (Especially as some of the others had noticed how the two had been staring at one another.)

Sally hastily asked, "So, you claim to be a version of Sonic from the future? If that's true, I think we need to know how and why you've traveled back in time, as well as why you look the way you do."

Future Sonic nodded. "Of course. First of all, regarding my appearance, I'll explain it one more time for you. Several decades from now, Robotnik, or Chrono-nik, as he now calls himself, had me infected by the 'Technomorphosis Virus'. This is a microscopic cybernetic life form engineered by Chrono-nik. It attacks the host at a cellular level, roboticizing the victim from the inside out.

"But, unlike normal roboticization, it doesn't turn the entire body mechanical. Instead it enhances the body's systems, replacing those organs that perform a task better accomplished by machines, but leaving the rest in their original form.

"Of course, certain parts of the brain are replaced or enhanced with circuitry, and in the process the brain is reprogrammed to obey Chrono-nik and his minions. Due to the nature of the process the subject retains their memory and even a limited amount of free will.

"The virus mecha-organisms live on in the body as "nanites," which repair the body when injured and can also be programmed to further modify the body as needed. ...The being created from this technological metamorphosis is known as a 'technimal.'

"...After I was technomorphed, I was Chrono-nik's slave for many years, until you, Sally, were able to capture me and reprogram me, deleting Chrono-nik's obedience program."

Future Sonic paused, as if to catch his breath, and the Freedom Fighters tried to absorb all that he'd just said. "Did I really just say that!?" the young Sonic wondered. "I'm glad he gave me the abridged version first!"

Bunnie commented, "What a mouthful!" and Antoine complained, "I am not understanding zee word that 'ee was saying!"

Tails looked thoughtful for a second, then said, "So that would make you 'Sonic the Technimal-Hedgehog,' huh? How about we just call you 'Techno-Sonic' for short?"

Future Sonic smiled and said, "Works for me. ...Now in regards to your other questions, Sally; how and why I came back in time... The first part is relatively simple. Many of Chrono-nik's minions possess built-in personal time machines. This is part of the reason he's so tough to beat—whenever anyone strikes a major blow against him, either he or one of his minions simply travels back in time and undoes the defeat. Since time-travel is such an integral part of his domination of Mobius, he sets each time machine to self-destruct when the robot it's in is destroyed. Luckily I was able to get my hands on a nearly intact time machine without him realizing it, and eventually I was able to repair it. That's how I was able to come back in time.

"Now, as to why... I'm not sure you want an audience as I explain this. The future's pretty bleak, and there's no need to panic the village, or get them worrying about things they can't change."

Sally nodded. "Good idea. We'll continue this in Freedom Fighter Headquarters. Everyone else, go back to whatever you were doing. We'll tell you what you need to know later on. Tails, that includes you too."

"Aww, Aunt Sally!" Tails whined.

"Let him come," Techno-Sonic said in a dispassionate voice. "He deserves to know what the future holds, too."

"If you say so," Sally reluctantly agreed.

They all headed into the Knothole cave-system, which housed the Freedom Fighters' base. As they walked, Antoine went over to Sally and said quietly "I do not think we should be trusting him. For all we know, this could be another one of Robotnik's traps."

Sally looked thoughtful. "I suppose you could be right, but if that's the case, why hasn't he done anything yet? Also, if he's not who he says he is, how'd he find Knothole?"

"I don't know, I just think we should be careful"

"Don't worry, I will be."

Techno-Sonic, who was a little ways ahead (and should have been out of hearing range) spoke up. "Yes, it is always a good idea to be cautious." Antoine jumped in shock. "However," Techno-Sonic continued, "don't let your caution turn into paranoia. Just because something is new and/or unusual, doesn't mean it's automatically evil. I hope I'll be able to earn your trust."

Sally asked, "You heard that?"

"Yes. Don't forget I'm technologically enhanced—and that includes all my senses." Sally remembered how she'd noticed something strange about his eyes, realized it must be because they were enhanced.

Bunnie thought to herself, _Why, his hearin's at least as good as mine!_

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Next: Shadows of the future…


	2. Visitor From the Future Part Two

Chapter Two:

The Shadow of the Future

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Arriving in the conference room, the Freedom Fighters all took their seats. Since Tails wasn't an official Freedom Fighter yet, he didn't have a spot or chair at the table, and had to carry in a chair from another room. Techno-Sonic decided to stand.

Once everybody else was seated, Techno-Sonic began speaking. "You've asked why I've traveled back in time. Well it all boils down to two words: Chrono-nik won."

He paused for a moment, looking around to see the Freedom Fighters' reactions. As his words began to sink in, and their eyes widen, he continued.

"There just isn't anyone or anything left to fight for. Mobius has been stripped of virtually all purely biological life, and been polluted so badly that even if Chrono-nik were somehow defeated, the planet would still be uninhabitable. The only life forms left are a few single celled organisms, and technorganic life such as technimals. And of the technimals, most would be loyal to Chrono-nik even without the obedience program—either out of fear or, impossible as it sounds, in some cases by choice. The fact of the matter is, since technimals can reproduce or even be built from scratch, many of them have never experienced complete free-will, and wouldn't know what to do with it if I gave it to them."

Sonic broke in. "But what about the other Freedom Fighters? And the Knothole villagers? I mean even if you don't have anyone else to fight for, you can still fight for your own future, right?"

Techno-Sonic shook his head sadly. "No, I'm afraid not. Knothole was destroyed… a long time ago. And as for the Freedom Fighters, all of you ...are dead. I'm the only one left." He hung his head, not meeting their gaze.

After a moment, Rotor said, "Man."

Tails asked, "You sure? All of us?"

Techno-Sonic nodded.

Antoine shrieked, "This cannot be! I am too young and handsome to be dying!"

Techno-Sonic looked up, a slight smirk on his face. "Ant, you don't die until years from now."

"Oh, then that's alright. All right? What am I saying? I will always be too young and so very handsome to die!"

Techno-Sonic shook his head. Antoine's antics had slightly lightened the mood of the room, but this didn't last for long, especially when Sally asked, "If we're all going to die, how does it happen? Do we die of old age, or-- ?"

"Chrono-nik and his minions kill you. How else?" With that he heaved a deep sigh of regret.

"This stinks!" the present Sonic said.

"I am not smelling anything," Antoine said in confusion.

"I mean, I seriously don't like this."

"Oh. Well, why are **you** complaining?" Antoine asked. "You are zee one who survives! Zee rest of us, we have just learned zat our fates are already written; zat we are doomed to die before our time!"

Sonic scowled. "Great. So I get to watch my friends get killed, and then for a special bonus, I get to watch the world die as well! What more could a hedgehog ask for?! ...Thanks, but no thanks."

Sally continued her inquiry, saying, "What about the roboticized Mobians, and other technimals who, like you, once opposed Robotnik?"

"We managed to de-roboticize many of the Robians, but they were all killed along with the other rebel groups and the majority of Mobius's population."

"Robians?" Sonic asked.

"Roboticized Mobians. I guess that term hasn't been created yet." Techno-Sonic clarified.

"Ah."

Techno-Sonic continued, "As for other technimals, I did manage to free quite a few of them at one point. We even formed a new Freedom Fighter group. But they too were all killed eventually. Now finding other potentially rebellious technimals is like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially since even most of the former Mobians are scared stiff of Chrono-nik. I really have no way of knowing whom I can trust. And even if I was able to free more people willing to fight, what for? To watch them die as well?

"I don't want to sound like I've given up. If I had to, I'd fight on against Chrono-nik for all eternity. But once I got my hands on the time machine, it just seemed like a better idea to go back in time and change history. My original intention was simply to prevent Chrono-nik from becoming so powerful, and destroying the world, but then I realized, if I was going to change history, why stop there? I now plan on traveling back to the year 3224 and preventing the coup. If Robotnik never takes over, none of this will ever happen."

"That makes sense," Sally said. "But if you're heading for the coup, why stop here?"

"I need your help. I can alter my appearance so I can pass as a normal Mobian, but that won't help me convince King Acorn of Chrono-nik's threat—or rather, the threat posed by Warlord Julian, as he was then known. Of course I **could** just blast in there and annihilate Julian, but I feel I owe the King an explanation. I don't want to wait for the coup to happen either—there's way too many ways things could go wrong. If the King was still trapped in the Zone of Silence, if something happened to one of us, or if Julian somehow managed to escape... there would be no way of knowing what the future might be. I need a way to warn the King of the coup before it happens. Then with his troops and my powers, we should be able to deal with Julian once and for all."

Bunnie asked, "So how do y'all plan on doin' that?"

Sonic looked at his future-self and added, "Yeah, and what's it got to do with us?"

"Well... I figure the only person who can convince the King of Julian's treachery... would be the King's own daughter!" As he said this he looked over at Sally, whose eyes widened as he finished the sentence.

"You want to take me with you to the past?!" She asked.

"In a way. You see, we have no way of knowing if this will work. There are many different theories as to how time travel works, and although I'm pretty sure which theory is correct, I have no way of proving it until we try it. I **believe** that we shall be able to change history, and that this course of history will then be replaced by the new history. However, there are some theories that claim it is impossible or at least extremely difficult to change history, and other theories that say attempts to change history merely result in the creation of new alternate universes. The original history would thus still exist. In either case, I don't want to leave the rest of you without Sally. So, what I intend—"

"Hold on," Sonic said, "do you actually **understand **all of that?!"

"Um, yes... I actually know the math behind these theories, but I figured you guys might have a hard time following that, so I simplified the theories for your sake."

Sonic moaned. "That was the simplified version?! Aww, man! Time travel makes my head hurt! ...And you know the **math?!** The only math I know how to do is adding and subtracting! ...Are you **sure** you're me?!"

Techno-Sonic made a half smile. "Being technorganic does have its advantages. Keep in mind, it's not just my body that's enhanced. My brain has cybernetic implants in it, which greatly enhance my mental capabilities. Um... in other words, I've become smarter since I was technomorphed."

Sonic thought about that for a moment. "Oh, man, that's freaky!"

When no one else had anything to say, Techno-Sonic continued. "As I was saying, since we can't be certain we'll be able to change this course of history, what I want to do is use my advanced systems to create a correctly aged clone of Sally. I'll then copy her memories and brain patterns into the clone. The result will be, in essence, two 'Sally's. One can come with me, the other can stay here. Of course, I won't do this unless you agree to it, Sally."

The room was silent now for a few moments as everyone digested this unusual proposition. Even when some of them had started to form some ideas about this, they stayed silent (even Antoine) waiting to see what Sally had to say about this.

She showed little emotion as she thought. Finally, she said, "Two of me? That would certainly be interesting. If we were to stay in the same time period, it could be quite confusing, but since we wouldn't be, I suppose that wouldn't be a problem. In fact, no matter which theory of time travel turned out to be true, I still wouldn't be likely to see my other self again, would I?"

"No. If history can't be changed, then we already know you would never meet, or at least the other you wouldn't stay long, because there was only one you in my history. And if we can change history, well obviously the only way you could meet would be if changes in history create alternate universes, but even then you'd be unlikely to meet again."

"That's what I figured. In that case, my biggest question is; this cloning process—is it safe?"

"Pretty much. There's a slight chance you might get infected with the Technomorphosis Virus (one in three million, six hundred fifty thousand, seven hundred, and thirty-nine) but even if that did happen, my nanites have been re-programmed, so you wouldn't loose any of your free will. There are no other possible dangers to you, the original article."

"What about to the clone? Are you sure she'll be all right? I wouldn't want to do this if there was a good chance of her turning out deformed or mentally unstable or anything like that. And I'm assuming that there isn't any more chance of her becoming Robotnik's slave—or Chrono-nik's, I should say—than there is of that happening to me, right?"

"Right. Obviously, in a procedure this complicated, there are lots of things that could go wrong, but in this case, none of those things are very likely. Unfortunately, I haven't had an opportunity to test the cloning procedure, but I **have** run countless simulations. And I'll be monitoring the process, so even if something were to go wrong, I'd see it and be able to correct it. Factoring everything together, I'd say there's only a one in seventeen million, three hundred eighty-six thousand, twenty-nine chance of something going wrong that I couldn't fix."

"Yeah, if you say so," Sonic said. "Sally, I don't think you should do it. This guy is starting to sound like Rotor, and we all know how often his stuff blows up."

"Hey!" Rotor protested.

The room was silent for a moment, then Techno-Sonic asked, "So, Sally, what do you think? Will you do it? Will you allow me to clone you so we can go back in time and erase this awful course of history?"

She thought for a moment, then said, "I think I've made up my mind, but before I make my final decision—Freedom Fighters, do you have any questions or comments regarding this?"

"Yeah," Sonic said. "I've got a question for you, 'Techno-Sonic.'"

"What's that?"

"Why now? Why'd you come to this point in time? I mean you had the entire past and future of the Freedom Fighters at your fingertips. What's so special about this point in time?"

"Well... I already told you that Chrono-nik's empire is based on time-travel. If I traveled to a point in time when he possesses that power, he would detect my arrival and stop me. I had to go back farther than that. However, I wanted Sally as old as possible, so she could relate to her father the full range of Robotnik's evil. Also, an older Sally will be more dramatic than one only a few years older than what he's used to. Finally," he said with a smile, "I didn't think Sally would have been all to receptive to my plans as a child."

Sally looked thoughtfully at him. "I'm guessing by your reaction when you first saw me that another reason you wanted me older was so I'd be as close to the way you remember me as possible."

"Well, yes, that's also true."

Sonic thought for a moment, then said, "Okay, I think I follow you, but that doesn't quite answer my question. I mean if you wanted Sally to be as old as possible, why didn't you come several years from now? ...Unless you're saying Robotnik's gonna get really powerful like you said sometime soon...!?"

Techno-Sonic scowled grimly and said in a deadly serious voice, "Yes. Some time next year. He got caught in his own doomsday weapon, and appeared to have been destroyed. But somehow, he returned, more powerful than ever, and possessing the power of time-travel. And after that, we were never able to strike any major blows against him again. He'd become unstoppable."

Everyone was silent for a moment, then Bunnie spoke up. "Does this have anythin' to do with that time y'all mentioned earlier when a super robot is gonna' seem to kill 'Butnik?"

"No, that's another time."

"Oh. So what yer' sayin' is that he seems ta die more than once, eh?"

Techno-Sonic nodded. "Yeah, but I'm pretty sure it was only those two times. The first time was when Eve, or whatever that 'bot was named, shot him; and the second time was when Snively sabotaged Robotnik's 'Ultimate Annihilator. ...At least, I'm pretty sure he called it the 'Ultimate Annihilator' – all those doomsday devices kind of blended together after a while."

Sonic asked, "Doesn't your cyborg mind give you better memory?"

"Of course. I can remember perfectly anything that happened after my technomorphosis... And everything before that I remember just as well as I did back when I was technomorphed. It's just that my enhancements can't bring back memories that had already started to fade or had been lost by the time I was technomorphed."

"Oh. Well, that sucks."

When a pause developed in the conversation, Tails raised his hand and spoke. "I was thinking... On one hand, it'd be nice to have everybody de-roboticized, the King back, and Robotnik gone, but on the other, I'm not sure I want my entire life to be erased. Couldn't Techno-Sonic just stay with us and help us fight Robotnik now?"

Techno-Sonic looked at Tails with a thoughtfulness that slowly turned to sadness. "That's a good idea, Tails, but I'm afraid it wouldn't work. I have the power to destroy Robotropolis, but we wouldn't want to do that. We would want to de-roboticize everyone first, and even then, if we planned on moving back to Mobotropolis after Robotnik's defeat, we'd have to try to leave as many buildings as possible standing. We could do it, but... it would take time. Time that is in short supply. Once Robotnik becomes Chrono-nik, even I won't be able to stop him."

"Then come back earlier, when there was more time to beat him!"

"That's what I intend to do—I'm going to come back ten years ago! I'm sorry if it bothers you that your entire life will be changed, but it's for you're own good. I promise, though, I'll make sure your new life is just as good if not better than the one you know."

"I just want to still be friends with all of you, especially you, Sonic."

Techno-Sonic said, "I'm sure the alternate you and my alternate past-self will still be friends. And I was already friends with Sally, Rotor and Antoine before the coup (if you want to call it friendship in the case of Antoine), so you'll probably make friends with them too. As for Bunnie, I can't be certain you'll still be friends, but you never know."

"Not to be worrying about it, Tails," said Antoine. "There is no need to be getting your brain tangled trying to understand his gibberish, for we are not to be going through wit' it. It is surly too very strange and dangerous, non?"

"I hate to say this," said Sonic, "but I have to agree with Ant on this one. Time-travel, cloning, ...I just don't think we want to get mixed up in anything so far-out. There's gotta be tons of things that could go wrong, and the only reason for thinking they won't is 'cause 'Techno-Sonic' says so." Sonic turned to Techno-Sonic and said, "I'm sorry, dude, I guess I just don't completely trust you yet."

Techno-Sonic nodded. "That's understandable. You'd have to be quite naive to accept such a fantastic story as mine without question."

"See? See?" Antoine asked. "I have always been saying zat zee 'Edge'og; 'ee is not to be trusted. And now, he is even admitting to it. And when Sonic is saying 'ee is not to be trusted, I am trusting zat 'ee is to be trusted in saying zat. So, I trust you all will be trusting me now when I say you should not to be trusting him, oui?"

While Sonic and Tails tried to piece together what Antoine had said, Sally asked, "What exactly is it that you're afraid of, Antoine?"

"Many t'ings. Bats, spiders, snakes, robots, pigeons, high places, low places, wet places, dry places, and any place in Robotropolis. ..Oh, wait. I am forgetting, I am afraid of abso-tutely not one t'ing. Now you are to be forgetting everyt'ing I just said."

Sally sighed. "I meant what is it that concerns you right now?"

"Him! Zis 'Tek-no-Sonic.' I am very much not to be trusting him."

"Yes, but why?"

"Well, 'ee is a robot, non? I am not to be believing 'is ridiculous tale of coming from the future! Non! I say he is a robot sent here by Robotnik to roboticize us all. And zis 'cloning' t'ing, it is obviously just a clever trick to lure you into being zee first one roboticized!'

Sally shook her head. "I admit we still need to know more about this cloning procedure, but like I said before, if Robotnik knew our location, why would he lay a trap? Why not just attack? And if he doesn't, than how would one of his robots get here?"

"Oh, yes, I am not t'inking about zis. Zose are very good questions, to which I am not knowing zee answers. All I can t'ink of is zat Robotnik sent zis robot 'ere to trick us because 'ee is a big, yellow-jellied chicken."

"Actually," Sonic said, "**I** think Robotnik's just a big, fat, jerk. In any case, even if 'Techno-Sonic' doesn't work for Robotnik, that doesn't mean his story's true, and even if it is... well, he's said himself that he's changed. How do we know **how much**?"

Antoine nodded his head vigorously. "Moi and Sonic 'av' never been agreeing in all that very much, but in this we do. We should not to be trusting zis stranger zat claims to be Sonic zee 'Og-'edge from zee future and wants to perform dangerous experiments on us! (I do not see why 'ee is pretending to be Sonic. 'Ee would have much better chance of getting our trust if 'ee were to claim to be moi, non?)"

Techno-Sonic sighed and shook his head. "I'm not going to performing 'experiments' on anybody—I already know what the results of the cloning process will be. And as I already said, the only person I want to perform it on is Sally. Really, Antoine, were you even listening?"

"Don't mind him, he's just exaggerating," Rotor said.

Sally looked at Sonic with a trace of concern. "Sonic... you're not usually this suspicious. In fact, quite often I think you're too trusting. What's so special about him?"

"I don't really know... Something about him just rubs me the wrong way, I guess."

Techno-Sonic nodded softly, and said, "I guess I should have expected this. I could always handle meeting other versions of myself, but I always just accepted it as other people with my personality and memories. To meet someone who really was me, but didn't have my personality... I've been asking too much of you, Sonic. I'm sorry. If it matters, I think I know what it is about me that bothers you."

"I'm listening."

"Well... I now see that there's an integral part of you that I have for the most part lost: my sense of humor. ...The future just isn't funny."

Sonic put his hand to his chin for a moment, then said, "You know, I think you're right."

Techno-Sonic nodded in acknowledgment.

Sonic's eyes widened, then he made a lop-sided smile. "You really **must** have lost your sense of humor—if I'd been delivered a line like that, I would have said, 'Of course I'm right. I'm always right!'"

Techno-Sonic smiled weakly. "I really was quite a character, wasn't I? Sally, how in the world did you ever put up with me?"

She stifled a slight giggle and said, "It isn't easy!"

The young Sonic said, "Hey! What are you two talking about? Don't you know I'm the coolest dude around?"

Sally rolled her eyes. "Right. How could we ever have forgotten that?

"Seriously," she continued, "does anyone else have any comments regarding this?"

Bunnie said, "Ah say if we all have a chance to undo everythin' that's happened since ol' Blubber-but reahed his ugly mustache, then ah say, let's do it!"

Rotor thought about it then said, "Techno-Sonic. Regarding the cloning procedure: I understand the concept of cloning in theory—you take a cell of a living being and cause it to reproduce and grow, following it's DNA pattern, until it becomes a new being with the same genes, and thus, shape and attributes, as the original. ...But while the clone is in embryonic stage, it requires a womb or an egg, depending on the species. Who or what is going to provide that? Also, I can't imagine how you would rapidly age the cone, or give it Sally's memories. I'd feel a lot more comfortable if you'd explain these things."

"I see," Techno-Sonic said. "Well, first of all, technically speaking, cloning isn't precisely the correct term for what I'm planing on doing. You recall how I said Technimals can be assembled? Well, first I'm going to scan her DNA. But instead of using that to create an embryo, I'll have my nanites do other examinations of her body, so I can reproduce her current appearance and age, and so the clone will still have such things as the antibodies to the diseases Sally's had so far in her lifetime. Then I'll have the nanites use the information they gather to assemble a technorganic duplicate of Sally. It should be virtually identical to Sally, except it won't possess any scars or other damage Sally's body might have—including damage caused by Robotnik's pollution. Also, due to the nature of the process, the clone's cells will of course be cybernetic, and she'll have her own set of nanites—but they'll remain dormant except when she's injured or ill. (When they'll speed recovery.) This will also prevent the deterioration of the body normally associated with aging. In other words, not only will she have the ability to recover from most injuries, but also, her life span --like that of all technimals -- shall be potentially infinite.

"As for how I plan to copy Sally's memory, a brain is not that different from a computer, it's just made out of different materials, and with a design superior to that of the computers of your era. It won't be hard for my nanites to read Sally's brain's 'programming' and copy it into the clone."

This disturbed Sally a bit. "You mean you're going to be literally reading my mind? I'm not so sure I like that idea."

Techno-Sonic shook his head. "No. My **nanites** will be reading your **brain**. There's a big difference. Nanites aren't in any way conscious; and they won't 'know' what you're thinking—only the nature of how your brain goes about the process of thinking. They won't be decoding it. They'll simply be examining the physical, chemical, and bio-electric nature of your brain, and using that information to create an exact copy of it."

Sally looked unsure. "I still don't like the idea of having microscopic robots crawling around inside my body and brain. Are you **sure **it's safe?"

"Yes. As I said there's an extremely small chance that a few of my nanites might revert to virus mode and start technomorphing you. But not only is the chance of that happening astronomically small, even if it did, my nanites have had the program which would cause them to make you Chrono-nik's slave completely erased. And you don't need to worry about how effective the erasure was; you yourself wrote the computer virus that did the job.

"There's absolutely nothing else that can go wrong for you. As for the copy, the risk for her is not much greater than for you, and isn't it worth it to beat Chrono-nik?"

She nodded resolutely. "Yes. Although the thought of your cloning method still creeps me out, I'm willing to undergo it if it means we can prevent the coup." She turned to the other Freedom Fighters. "That is, unless any of you see some reason why I shouldn't. Keep in mind, he did ask my permission to do this procedure. I don't see why he would have asked for permission if he were planning anything underhanded. And if he is telling the truth, I trust his judgment that this is safe."

"I still say don't do it," Sonic said. "You may trust him, but I'm still not sure. And time travel makes my head spin. It's dangerous and confusing and.. crazy... and... and... oh, I just don't like it."

Sally sighed. "We've got the point. Now does anyone have any **logical** objections." Antoine raised his hand and started to speak, but Sally cut him off. "No? Good, it's settled. Techno-Sonic, I agree to the cloning procedure. Do you need anything to do it?"

"Only some raw materials. I'll need some metal—preferably titanium, but anything you have will do. And I'll also need some organic material. What it is doesn't really matter to me, I just need the chemicals. Anything handy will do; mulch, wood, food...—anything that was once alive. Whatever you decide to use, I'll need approximately your body weight of it.

"It'll take about thirty minutes for the nanites to fully examine your body. To save time, I'm going to send them in now, okay? You won't fell a thing."

She nodded her agreement. He walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. He stood there for a few seconds, then let her go.

"Alright. Done. Now, we should probably do this outside, in case I need any chemicals you can't provide—I should be able to scavenge small amounts of almost any chemical I need from the environment." He paused, then added, "However, this isn't something we want the villagers watching."

Sally nodded. "We could go off into the forest a little ways," she suggested.

"That's what I was thinking."

"All right then. Rotor and I will go get the materials, and we'll meet you by the edge of the forest."

They all headed out of the headquarters. Sally, Rotor, Antoine and Bunnie went to get the supplies, while Sonic and Tails accompanied Techno-Sonic to the outskirts of town.

As they approached the trees, Sonic stopped Techno-Sonic.

"What is it?"

Sonic took a deep breath, then let it out again. "Look, I'm sorry for not believing you, and for trying to stop you. It's just that your appearance and your stories of the future really freaked me. I don't **want** what you said to be true."

Techno-Sonic nodded. "I know."

"You do?"

"Of course! I **am** you, after all."

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

NEXT: Shadows of Chrono-nik


	3. Visitor From the Future Part Three

Chapter Three:

The Shadow of Chrono-nik

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

About fifteen minutes later, the Freedom Fighters reconvened in a clearing in the woods. Rotor and Bunnie had each brought armfuls of various types of metal, and Sally and the others several armloads of wood.

"Is this enough metal?" Rotor asked, as they all put their loads down.

Techno-Sonic studied the piles for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, that'll do fine," Techno-Sonic said. He gathered the piles of wood and metal together, and held his hands over the pile. "Well, here goes."

The wood and metal began to shimmer, and slowly liquefy and melt together. Under Techno-Sonic's guidance, the oozing mass reshaped itself, taking on a vaguely humanoid shape the size of Sally.

The mass solidified again, in that form, and Techno-Sonic put his hands down and turned to the others. "Alright, the nanites will take it from here. It'll be a few minutes until we see any external changes."

Sonic wasn't pleased to hear this. "Talk about boring. Maybe I should go do something else…"

Techno-Sonic shrugged. "If you want to."

Sally opened her mouth as if to speak, then after a pause to collect her thoughts, asked, "Techno-Sonic. I was wondering something."

"Yes?"

Sally paused again, then said, "I was thinking, we're not sure your trip into the past is going to change things. In case it doesn't, do you have any advice as to how we could avoid your future coming to pass?"

"**My **trip into the past? So you're planing on sending the clone with me, rather than coming yourself?"

Sally nodded. "Yes. That's all right, isn't it? I mean, we'll both be the same."

"Yeah, it's fine. Actually, having decided now, before you're cloned, was a good idea. It'll make things less confusing that way.

"…As far as changing the future goes, that's a tough one… So long as Chrono-nik is all-powerful, you don't stand a chance against him. But unfortunately, I have no idea how he managed to acquire his powers. That's one mystery we were never able to solve…"

"I see."

"I might be able to give you some advice though. Let me think." His eyes lost their focus for a moment or two, then he blinked and looked at Sally again. "Alright. Here goes. Don't know whether this will do you any good, but you never know…

"To begin with; trust no one. There were so many traitors in the next few years that I can't even remember them all. I'd love to tell you their names, so you would know from the start not to trust them, but unfortunately, I just can't remember them well enough anymore. All I can say is be wary of wolves and dogs. I seem to recall we had at least one of each turn traitor on us."

"I… see…" Sally said slowly. She didn't like this piece of advice—not only was it too vague, but she hated needing to be suspicious of fellow Mobians.

Techno-Sonic continued, uncertainly, "I don't suppose you'd listen if I told you not to rescue your father from the Zone of Silence…"

Sally replied coldly, "No, I wouldn't."

"I thought not. Well, can't be helped, I suppose." He looked at her grimly. "But I warn you—it won't exactly be the happy reunion you're hoping for; and what-ever you do, once you get the King out of the Zone, **under no circumstances should you open the Zone again.**"

Sally stared at him, shocked by the force of his words.

After a few moments, Sally responded, "I see."

"Trust me. Chrono-nik is trouble enough. You don't want to have to deal with the creatures that inhabit the Zone at the same time."

Sally nodded.

There was another moment's silence, and Sally glanced over at the clone. Her eyes widened, and she asked, "It **is** supposed to be doing that, right?" Its' shell was cracking, and peeling, like dry paint, and a thick, pinkish liquid began to ooze out of the cracks.

Techno-Sonic nodded and explained, "The insides are mostly finished, so the nanites are starting to make the skin."

The liquid slowly flowed over the clone's body, not just covering but dissolving the shell. When the liquid had completely replaced the shell, it began to thicken and solidify, changing from pink to tan to a darker color, which Sally knew to be her own skin color. The clone's nose became black, just like her own. Other details also began to appear on the clone, details normally covered by her fur…

"Don't look, y'all!" Bunnie said, putting her hands over Tails' eyes, and glaring at the other male Freedom Fighters. Antoine twirled around as quickly as possible, to face away from the clone. Rotor turned away as well. Sonic however stared at Bunnie in confusion.

Tails was also perplexed by this. "What are you doing, Aunt Bunnie?!"

Sonic scratched his head. "Yeah, what gives, Bunnie? What's the prob?"

Bunnie scowled at him. "Y'all know darned well what ah'm talking 'bout. 'Tain't proper to be lookin' at the clone right now."

Sonic glanced at the clone, which caused Bunnie to cringe. Sonic turned back to her, still puzzled. "Why not?"

Sally sighed and shook her head. "Never mind, you two. It's not that big of a deal."

Bunnie turned to Sally and raised an eyebrow.

Sally pulled the edge of her open vest away from her, to emphasize the fact that she wore nothing underneath it. She then shrugged and said, "What do I have to hide?"

Bunnie blinked and stared, a look of embarrassment growing on her face. "Oh, my… Ah… forgot 'bout that…" She grinned sheepishly. "Y'all never were one for modesty, were ya'?" She let Tails go.

Tails moved away from Bunnie, then looked back and forth at the two of them, trying to figure out what they were talking about. He glanced at the clone, hoping that would provide some clue, but the only thing of note he could see about it was that it's fur had started to grow.

Sally grinned at Bunnie. "Actually, this **is** modest for me. If I felt like showing off, I'd be wearing my royal robes—or at least something fancy."

Bunnie scratched her head. "Ah… see." She shook her head, her smile becoming one of amused resignation. "There are some things about ya', gal, ah don't think ah'll evah understand…"

Sonic noticed Tails scratching his head in bewilderment, and walked over to him.

Tails looked up at Sonic. "What was that all about?"

"Not a clue, big guy." Sonic said with a shrug.

As it became obvious this particular conversation had reached it's conclusion, Sally took a deep breath, then turned back to Techno-Sonic. "So, is there any more advice you can give me?"

He shook his head slowly. "I don't think so. There were many more bad things that happened to us, but I can't think of anything else **preventable**."

"I see."

Not wanting to meet her gaze, he turned to look at the clone. The clone's fur was now at its' natural thickness, and the clone's hair was now getting long enough to easily be differentiated from its' fur. He stepped closer to the clone, and stood there, waiting, for a minute. Then he turned back to the others. "Alright. Everything's finished but her mind. Ready to perform the memory duplication, Sally?"

Sally took a deep breath, then nodded.

Techno-Sonic knelt down next to the clone, and indicated Sally should join him.

"This could take a while, so you might as well get comfortable," Techno-Sonic mentioned as she started to kneel down next to him. With barely a pause, she smoothly moved from her partially kneeling position to sitting on the grass.

"Now what?"

"Now, I'm going to need to create a direct link between your brain and the clone's, to facilitate the memory duplication—the procedure is too delicate for over-the-air data transfer."

Sally gave a slight nod to show she understood, and he put his hand on her forehead. He then turned his head and placed his other hand on the clone's head.

"Alright then, here we go. Just close your eyes and relax, the nanites will handle everything."

At first, she felt nothing—however this didn't particularly surprise her, as she hadn't felt anything when the nanites had examined her earlier, either.

Then she began to feel a little bit drowsy. Her mind began to wander, as in a dream, but different, in a way she couldn't define. As she fell deeper into this state, the random images began to gain a sense of purpose. The dreams became thoughts, memories, and emotion. Her entire life was replayed, but out of order, those things which were related in her mind tending to come together…

Soon physical sensations joined the mixture, some painful, some pleasant, and many just there.

Deeper and deeper she fell, losing herself in the substance of her own mind, until it seemed like she had been this way forever. More and more thoughts opened up, a seemingly endless commentary on her life, complete with images, sound, sensation, and emotion. And she, the writer and the subject of this commentary, the center of this world, this so called "Sally," looked on at it all in awe…

And yet, even this "endless" world could not last forever… gradually, the emotions and physical sensations grew more and more prominent, crowding out the memories, her attention drifting from what she had experienced to what she **could** experience. Emotions and sensations she had never felt before, profound, and absurdly trivial; painful, annoying, meaningless, wonderful…

Her mind continued to grow more and more hazy, existence reduced finally to emotion and sensation, emotions and sensations that were growing more and more profound. Pain and pleasure, both physical and mental-- stronger than she had ever known, so profound that thought became impossible.

Pain. Pleasure. Suffering. Comforting. Loss. Belonging. Violation. Fulfillment. Tortured ecstasy, so unfathomable it could destroy a universe, or create a new one.

And then…

Relief. A slow, comforting journey to that dreamlike state from which she had started, and on to a forgotten world once known as reality…

Sally could feel the cool wet grass and uneven ground beneath her, as she lay on her back. Her breathing was heavy and her heart still slowing down after the workout it had just been given—for, as her sore muscles attested, that which she had just experienced had not been entirely within her head.

For a moment she felt quite disoriented, unsure where she was or what she was doing there. Then a familiar voice said "Alright, it's done,' and it all came back to her. Techno-Sonic. The clone. The memory duplication. Sally felt Techno-Sonic's hand leaving her head, and she opened her eyes to see him getting up.

Questions began to come to mind. Why was she lying on the ground? She supposed she must have fallen over while she had been out of it… but that raised another question: Why hadn't Techno-Sonic warned her the memory duplication was going to be such an ordeal?

She began to sit up, intent on asking him this, but she froze and the question left her mind entirely when she saw… herself… standing nearby, looking at her in fascination. So this was the clone… But why was she already standing, and when did she get that vest?

Both "Sally"s blinked, and the one standing replied in near-awe, "Wow…"

_Man, this is strange_, the first Sally thought as she stood up to join Techno-Sonic and the clone.

Looking at the two "Sally"s, Antoine exclaimed, "Fantasteek! If it were not for zee princess's clothing, it would be impossible to tell zem apart!"

The first Sally turned to look at him in confusion. What was he talking about? They were both wearing the same thing! She was just about to point this out, when it occurred to her that she could feel the grass under her feet, and even between her toes. She slowly looked down, dreading what she knew she would see. Her feet were bare, and she wasn't wearing a vest.

A sinking feeling hit her stomach. There were only two possible explanations for this. One, it was some sort of practical joke, or, two…

She looked up at her other self, who smiled calmly. "Are you alright? That must have been pretty traumatic—you were screaming so loud they probably heard you in Robotropolis!"

"I… was screaming?"

"You don't remember?"

She smiled sheepishly. "I wasn't very aware of my surroundings. But yes, I'm all right. In fact, looking back on it, I think I kind of liked it. …But why do you need to ask? You experienced it too, didn't you?"

The other Sally (the one wearing clothes) shook her head. "Just like with the body scans, I didn't feel a thing."

"…But—"

She paused, and Techno-Sonic explained, "What you just experienced was, essentially, your mind booting up the data the nanites copied from Sally's mind."

She stared at him for a moment, then looked back at the other Sally, who was wearing the clothes that the first Sally wasn't.

"No." The first Sally stepped back a few paces, and glanced back and forth rapidly between the two of them. "You're not saying—" She glanced over at the Freedom Fighters, hoping they could deny what she was about to say. Sonic and Antoine looked confused, and Tails curious, but Bunnie and Rotor looked sorry for her, and she knew her suspicions were correct, as loath as she was to admit it. She turned back to Techno-Sonic and the other Sally, and finished her sentence. "—that I'm the clone?!"

Techno-Sonic and the other Sally nodded, and the latter said in surprise, "You mean, you didn't realize?"

The first Sally—the nude Sally, who now had to admit to herself that she was the clone—could only shake her head.

Suppressing the urge to cry, she forced herself to answer, "No… How could I?"

The original Sally shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just assumed you'd be able to tell somehow…"

The clone shook her head, the tears starting to well up in her eyes despite her attempts to control herself. _This isn't what I expected when I agreed to the cloning!_ The clone thought. —_Wait! What am I thinking? __**I**__ wasn't the one who agreed to this; it was Sally—the __**real**__ Sally!_ A wave of despair flowed through her, and she fell to her knees, sobbing. As princess, and leader of the Freedom Fighters, she would never have let such emotions show… but if she wasn't Sally… none of that mattered. She let herself give in to her sorrow, and her tears began to flow freely.

The original Sally stepped back a pace and stared. Techno-Sonic and the Freedom Fighters stared as well. **This** was a copy of Sally?

The original Sally couldn't quite imagine what the problem could be. Surely being a clone wasn't all **that **bad. …But even as she thought this, she realized the problem. She had unconsciously been thinking of the clone as somehow inferior, since it was a copy, not the real her. And she had even felt this way before the memory transfer. …To think that way, then realize you **were** one…

Sally walked over to the clone, and knelt down beside her, putting her arms around her, comforting her. "It's alright. It'll be alright."

The clone whimpered softly, "But… I'm… a clone! Just a copy. Even my mind is only a copy of yours…"

"No," Sally replied, softly yet firmly. "You're more than **just** a copy. You're an extension of me."

The clone jerked her head to face Sally, glaring through her tears. "Is **that** what I am? Just a part of you?! I'm supposed to be my own person! I'm supposed to be… you." Her gaze fell, and she turned her head away again. "But, I'm not. I'm not even a real Mobian. I wasn't born like one, I didn't grow up like one—I was just created, for heaven's sake! How… how can I be…"

"There, there. You mustn't think that way. Just because you weren't born the same way as most, that doesn't make you not real. You—"

Techno-Sonic interrupted her. "She's right, Sally." Shifting his gaze to the clone, he said, "You're **not** a real Mobian."

Both "Sally"s turned to him, the clone's eyes wide in shock, and the real Sally glaring at him.

He said matter-of-factly, "You're a Technimal."

The real Sally's eyes widened, while the clone continued to stare at him, her shock fading.

In a stern voice, he continued, "That's right, you're artificial, a construct in the shape of a Mobian."

Sonic raced over and put his hands on his hips. "Hey, there's no call for that! She's having enough trouble as it is."

Ignoring him, Techno-Sonic continued, "You were created for a purpose and one purpose alone: to stop Robotnik!"

Sally said angrily, "Techno-Sonic, you're not helping!"

But the clone stood up suddenly, breaking Sally's embrace. Her expression was determined, and no-nonsense. Her voice sure and commanding, she told them all, "No, he's right. I'm not a Mobian, and I'm not Sally. I am a Technimal, and I **shall** fulfill my mission!"

Techno-Sonic smiled, and Sonic and Sally stared at her in amazement. The other Freedom Fighters didn't know what to think.

Sally got up, and said uncertainly, "You're… alright, then?"

The clone's expression softened, a trace of a smile playing upon her lips, and she nodded. "Yes. Strange as it sounds, I needed that. I needed to be reminded that I have a purpose, a very important one. And as long as I keep that in mind, it doesn't really matter who or what I am…"

Sally stared at this new version of herself for a moment. So the clone **did** possess Sally's strength, after all. But how had Techno-Sonic known talking to her like that would work? Sally hadn't even considered taking a commanding tone against the clone. She had assumed the clone needed sympathy, not… shock therapy… Somehow, having Techno-Sonic handle a situation better than she did disturbed Sally… She shook her head to clear her mind. Why should she be surprised it Techno-Sonic knew a few tricks she didn't? He **was** a hundred years or so older than her!

The clearing was silent a moment, then Tails walked a few steps toward them, and asked the clone, "So what should we call you? Techno-Sally?"

The clone shook her head. "No. I was thinking more along the lines of…" She glanced at the real Sally, who, having thought about this beforehand, nodded her head. The clone finished, "'Alicia.'"

Rotor commented, "That's your mother's name, isn't it? I mean, Sally's mother's name."

Both Sally and the newly named Alicia nodded, thought not entirely in sync.

Alicia added, "I've always thought it was a beautiful name."

Sally nodded in agreement. "Me too. –I mean, that is…" Sally trailed off, realizing what she had been saying was pointless. She gave an embarrassed grin.

There was a lull in the conversation, and everyone just stood there for a few moments, until finally, Alicia took a deep breath, let it out, and said, "Well…"

She turned to Techno-Sonic. "Do you need to do anything else before we head back?"

"No, I'm ready to go when you are."

"I suppose, in that case, we might as well get going. No reason to drag things out… But first…" She turned to Sally. "Do you suppose you could spare a pair of boots?"

"Of course." Sally bent down and pulled off her own boots. "Here. I can get another pair when I get back to my hut."

"Thanks."

Alicia put on the boots, then walked over to Rotor and shook his hand. "It's been nice working with you," she said. "--Or would have been, if Sally's memories are any indication." She smiled wryly.

He nodded. "Same to you. Goodbye, Sally—I mean Alicia. And good luck."

She nodded. She then went on to Bunnie. "I'll miss you, Bunnie. ...If we're not able to change the past, then I hope you are able to get de-roboticized and starting up that hair-salon you've always wanted to run."

"Yeah, well; don't fail, girl. Ah'd much rather not have mah arm and legs roboticized in the first place. ...Take care of yourself, now, ya' hear?"

Alicia then went to Tails, knelt down and gave him a big hug. "Goodbye, Tails. I'll do whatever I can to make you're life better."

"Aww, thanks, Aunt Alicia."

Next was Antoine. She stood there for a few moments, trying to figure out what to say. "I know you've always been tying to get my affections—or Sally's anyway; and we've always ignored you. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. You've just never seemed... our type. ...I normally wouldn't do this, but since we probably will never see each other again..." She moved forward a step, embraced him, and kissed him on the cheek. His eyes widened in shock, then he smiled and blushed.

Alicia let him go and moved on to Sonic. Antoine was speechless—until without saying anything, Alicia embraced Sonic and gave him a long kiss on the lips.

"Hey!" Antoine said, "You did not kiss **moi** zat way!" But Sonic and Alicia were still hugging and kissing, and were oblivious to everyone and everything around them.

Finally, they let each-other go, and Alicia said, "You I'll miss the most. True, I'll have your future self, but it's not quite the same." Sonic nodded. She continued, "I'm not quite sure how to say this... I suppose you already know, but just to say it: I love you."

"Yeah. And I love you too—or at least I love Sally, which is pretty much the same thing. I hope you and Techno-me get along good. Good luck with changing history, and say hello to your father for me." They embraced again, then Alicia moved on to the last remaining Freedom Fighter: Sally.

"Well, I guess this is it," they said to each other.

Sally said, "Well, I guess there's not much we need to say to each-other. ...Take care of my memories."

"And you take care of my original body—at least as long as you exist, which may not—which hopefully **will** not—be very long at all."

"Yes. Which reminds me, if things don't change, how will we know if you've failed completely or just created an alternate history?"

Alicia turned to Techno-Sonic. He said, "I should be able to figure out how altering history works once we've done it. If we create an alternate universe, we'll use time travel and the Cosmic Interstate to come back here, to this point in time (right after we leave), and let you know. In fact, if we do create an alternate universe, Chrono-nik will still be a threat to us (since he knows about the interstate), so we'll definitely have to work together to try and beat him. Hopefully, though, it won't come to that. As for if we can't change history; well, we'll try to come back and let you know in that case as well."

Sally nodded. "Well then, good luck." As Alicia walked over to Techno-Sonic, Sally said, "Goodbye Techno-Sonic. Take good care of our past-selves."

"I will. And I'll look after Alicia too." He paused, then added, "It was good to see all of you again. We'll never forget any of you. Good-bye."

And with that he took hold of Alicia's hand. The two of them began glowing blue. The light shone brighter and brighter, finally flaring so bright as to be blinding. Then, it was over, and they were gone.

The Freedom Fighters stood there in the clearing for a while, staring silently at the spot where Techno-Sonic and Alicia had stood.

Finally, Bunnie broke the silence. "All-right folks, it looks like the shows over. Tails, why don't we-all head back to Knothole and see if they still need our help on that house. Then ah'll play with you if you want, like ah promised."

Tails smiled and said, "Yeah! Let's go!" Tails flew off through the forest, and Bunnie headed off after him. Rotor and Antoine soon followed, leaving Sonic and Sally alone in the clearing.

Noticing Sally seemed down, Sonic jokingly said, "What's the matter? Wishing you'd given Techno-Sonic a good-bye kiss? You could give it to me, instead."

When she didn't respond to that, he knew she was really upset about something. In a concerned voice he asked, "Sally? What's the matter?"

She turned to him and said in a despairing voice, "Oh, Sonic, they've failed!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? Who's failed?"

"Alicia and Techno-Sonic! Somehow, they've failed to change history!"

"What? They've failed already? Sal, they've only been gone a minute or two!"

Sally shook her head. "That doesn't matter! Don't you understand? They may have left a minute ago, but they arrived in the past ten years ago! Any changes they made would have already affected us. We wouldn't even remember what just happened anymore, because our memories would be altered along with the rest of history!"

Sonic tried to take that in. He didn't completely follow her, but he got the basic idea. "So... so what you're saying, is that if they were going to succeed, they would have done it already, and things wouldn't be this way?"

"That's right."

"But... but... weren't there other theories of time travel and stuff? Couldn't there be another explanation for why things haven't changed?"

She shook her head again. "They said if they couldn't change history, or if Techno-Sonic's theory was wrong, and they could, they'd come back. And they haven't. I don't know what that means for sure, but it definitely means **something's** gone wrong, something more then just having the wrong time-travel theory..."

"I see..." Sonic said. He shrugged and shook his head resignedly. "Well there's nothing we can do about it, so we'll just have to do our best from our end, and try to prevent our world from ever becoming Techno-Sonic's world."

Sally nodded. They looked in each other's eyes for a moment, then hugged. They stood that way for some time, each feeding off of the other's strength.

It was quite some time before the two returned to Knothole, and Antoine began to wonder what was keeping them. He became quite jealous of Sonic for getting so much time with Sally, and was about to go looking for them, when Rotor drafted him to assist him in his work on the Dimensional-Framistat.

Bunnie and Tails finished helping with the hut's repairs, then they played dirt-hockey together, as Bunnie had promised. With her mechanical strength, it would have been a very lopsided game, except Bunnie had never played before, and Tails could use his ability to fly for added speed.

Far too soon for Tails, and not soon enough for Sonic and Sally, the sun set over Knothole, and this day came to a close.

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

End "Visitor From the Future"

Next: Find out what happened to Techno-Sonic and Alicia, in: "Visitors to the Past"


	4. Visitors to the Past

Author's note: Originally, this was "Chapter Four" of "Absolute Power". With Chapters One-Three now standing alone as "Visitor From the Future", this becomes a sequel/prequel to that, telling of the further adventures of Techno-Sonic and Alicia in the past.

Credits: Portions of this chapter originally appeared in Sonic 43: "The Dream Zone", written by Ken Penders, and illustrated by Patrick Spaziante. Adapted to text and this story by Chronos.

Absolute Power:  
Visitors to the Past

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

With a flash of blue light, Techno Sonic and Alicia appeared on a grassy hill overlooking Mobotropolis.

Alicia gazed down at the city, with its white marble buildings and green trees. "Wow. I'd forgotten how beautiful the city used to be."

Techno Sonic had other things on his mind than the scenery, though. "No! What is this? How is this possible?!"

Alicia turned to Techno Sonic, and saw that his face matched the distress in his words. "Sonic, what is it?" she asked.

"We were supposed to arrive a few weeks before the coup, to give us time to convince your father of our good intentions, and to give him time to act. But something has thrown my calculations off. We're on the day of the coup itself!"

This was unexpected, but Alicia didn't understand its significance. "Can't we just go back farther from here?"

Techno Sonic glanced up at the sky, which was swiftly filling with dark clouds. "I don't think so."

At first, Alicia thought that the clouds were the smoke from Robotnik's ship, and didn't understand what that had to do with time traveling. But then she realized that the clouds were spreading out from a point directly above them, and there was no sign of Robotnik's ship anywhere. And then, bolts of blue lightning began flashing among the churning clouds. "What's going on?!"

She looked at Techno Sonic, and saw the fear growing on his face. "It's Chrono-nik. Somehow, he found us." His expression hardened, and he said fiercely. "You have to get out of here now! Maybe it's not too late to stop the coup. I'll hold Chrono-nik off."

Alicia stared at him.

"Go!"

She nodded, turned, and ran down the hill, in the direction of the city. She ran faster than she had even known she could run, and realizing this, she began to wonder if Techno Sonic had enhanced her body in some ways.

She was half a mile from the hilltop, when the thunder stopped. A few moments later, it was replaced by the sound of deafening explosions and sonic-booms. She glanced back, and saw two figures zooming around in the air, firing lasers and missiles at each other, and occasionally crashing together at super-sonic speeds. One was Techno Sonic, and the other was large, round-ish, and glowing blue. Was this Chrono-nik, she wondered? But there was no time to ponder that. She had to make it to her father—or rather, the King—before it was too late.

As she entered the city, she stopped to catch her breath, but realized she wasn't out of breath. That settled it. Either Techno Sonic had enhanced her body as he created it, or the Nanites he'd left in her were over-active, doing more than just repairing injuries. Normally, this sort of thing would have bothered Sally, but right now, Alicia needed all the help she could get, and was thankful for even such unasked-for assistance.

She rushed through the streets, keeping down to a speed that wouldn't attract undue attention. But then, she saw Robotnik's Swatbots in the street, fighting the King's soldiers and rounding up stray citizens. She realized that the coup had begun. She only prayed she wasn't too late to save the King.

Then, some Swatbots noticed her. "Surrender-in-the-name-of-Robotnik-and-submit-to-complete-roboticization." Five of them rushed towards her, their arms outstretched, to grab her.

"You've got to be kidding me," Alicia said. She went to reach into her vest to get her slingshot—but then realized she wasn't wearing a vest, and, unlike Sally, did not have a slingshot. _This could be tougher than I thought._ She didn't even have Nicole with her!

As the Swatbots got in close, she dodged out of the way, and started to run for it. She didn't expect to get away, just to find a better place to fight them. But, to her astonishment, they couldn't keep up with her. Then she remembered her enhanced speed.

Unfortunately, the Swatbots weren't going to make it that easy. "Surrender-or-prepare-to-be-exterminated-with-extreme-prejudice!" When that didn't provide immediate results, they began firing at her. Of course, their aim was as bad as ever, and Alicia easily dodged. Suddenly a smile came to her face, as she thought, _I may not have Sonic's speed, but maybe I'm fast enough to try some of his tricks..._

She turned and ran back towards them, charging between two 'bots, who obligingly shot each other. She skidded to a stop and glanced at the remaining three bots, trying to judge the situation before making her next move. Unfortunately, this gave them time to fire at her, and at this range, it would be hard for even Swatbots to miss. Instinctively, Alicia leaped out of the way of the blasts, performing a side-flip.

_Well, that wasn't a Sonic move, but it worked._ Realizing that for Sonic's fighting method to work, she had to keep moving, she launched forward at the Swatbots, trying to decide on her attack as she went.

Unfortunately, Sally had always been better at thinking before she acted, rather than **while** she acted. Alicia may have been starting to act differently than Sally, but she still wasn't accustomed to thinking quite **this** quickly; and the best she could come up with on such short notice was to slam her right arm into the first Swatbot, hoping her momentum would knock the bot into the other two, knocking all three down.

What she didn't expect was for her arm to tear through the bot's upper torso, tearing its head off. Its' body did knock the other bots over, but she hardly noticed that as she tried to simultaneously figure out what had just happened, and how she was going to land after that jump, which had been much more powerful than she'd expected. The best she could manage was to shield her face with her left arm as she hit the pavement headfirst.

When she'd stopped rolling, she sat up carefully. Though her left arm was a bit banged up, her main concern was her right arm. It was all torn up and bloody, and hurt terribly. _I guess tearing through metal armor plating will do that... but how could I have been strong enough to do that? ...How strong am I?!_ As she watched, the skin on her arm began to knit itself back together. _Wow. I could get used to this._

She turned and saw the other two Swatbots getting up again. She considered charging at them and testing out her newfound strength on them, but thought better of it. She had to get to the Palace before it was too late—if it wasn't already. Strangely, she felt a little bit of disappointment at having to end the fight. Fighting at such high speeds had been exhilarating, even when things went wrong. She began to see why Sonic enjoyed fighting Robotnik so much.

Regretfully, she turned and ran towards the palace. The bots fired at her, but she didn't even need to look back in order to avoid their poorly aimed shots.

She now decided to see just how far her new abilities went. As she ran she continued pushing herself to go faster, even after reaching what she thought should be her limit. Her body responded by giving her more, allowing her to reach speeds comparable to Sonic's speed without a Power Ring. _Incredible. I just hope I don't start to pick up any of Sonic's bad habits..._ Then she remembered the battle, and realized she already had. _This is strange. I'm acting less and less like Sally. Is this Techno-Sonic's doing, or is it just a result of my distancing myself from my memories of life as Sally?_

Soon, she reached the Palace. She didn't even stop to fight the Swatbots outside, but raced past them before they could react.

Inside, the fighting was worse—which suggested the King was still free. Alicia prayed this was the case.

She joined the fight, easily tearing through a couple of bots, though she was severely cut in the process. She ignored the wounds, knowing they'd heal soon enough—her wounds from the previous battle were completely healed already.

The soldiers who'd been fighting the bots were astonished, but she didn't have time to explain anything to them. She simply asked. "Has anyone seen the King?"

"I- I think he's still in the throne room, commanding the battle."

She said thanks, and raced off towards the throne-room.

It turned out the soldier's information was only partially accurate. When Alicia got to the throne room, a battle was going on, between the king's soldiers and Robotnik's Swatbots. The King directed his troops from near his throne, while Robotnik directed the Swatbots from the other end of the room. Behind Robotnik, the wall was collapsed, and the nose of Robotnik's ship was wedged into the room, a ramp leading down from it to the floor.

Alicia called out in a loud voice, "This ends now. Robotnik, I will not allow you to overthrow this kingdom."

Robotnik and the King looked at her, and even some of the soldiers took the risk of glancing her way for a moment. Alicia felt a jolt of longing course through her to see her father—or rather, Sally's father; but for a brief moment, in her head, she **was** Sally. …At last, after all this time, to see him again…

Robotnik interrupted her musings with an annoyed, "Who are you supposed to be? And what makes you think you can do anything to stop me?"

"Who am I? I'm—" She had been about to say "Princess Sally", but stopped herself, realizing that not only would that answer not make sense to them, but it wasn't even true. "That's a good question. I'm not quite sure about that myself." Her gaze hardened, as she focused herself on what she had came to do. "But that doesn't really matter. What matters is what I'm going to do to you and your Swatbots—send you back to the scrap heap!"

Robotnik didn't look impressed. "How terrifying. Swatbots, eliminate her!"

A few Swatbots separated themselves from the battle, and headed towards her. She didn't wait for them to reach her, but instead ran towards them, catching them off guard. She tore through them, being a little bit more careful how she did it this time. As their remains tumbled to the floor, she was pleased to note she'd managed not to hurt herself so much in the process, this time.

Robotnik's eyes widened at her display, then narrowed.

Alicia turned to face him, and folded her arms. "Your move," she suggested.

"Amusing," Robotnik commented dryly.

In the back of her mind, Sally's experiences warned Alicia she was getting a bit too cocky for her own good, but Alicia couldn't help it. It just felt so good to have so much power. The part of her that was Sally warned her the power was going to her head, but before she could contemplate that, more Swatbots separated from the battle to attack her. She began disassembling them.

Meanwhile, Robotnik called for backup.

Alicia found herself drawn into the main battle, which was not what she'd wanted, but she decided to make the best of it, and helped the soldiers to eliminate the Swatbots. This left several soldiers free to try and deal with Robotnik.

Alicia and the soldiers had destroyed most of the Swatbots, when Robotnik called out from in front of the throne, "Stop! Or your precious monarch dies now!"

They turned and saw that Robotnik held a gun to King Acorn's head. A new unit of Swatbots stood around Robotnik and the King, over the unconscious bodies of the soldiers that had tried to stop them.

"Now, drop your weapons and put your hands in the air." The soldiers glanced at the King, trying to figure out what to do.

Bravely, the King told them, "Do not give in. The traitor Julian must be stopped, even if I must die for it to happen."

Robotnik said with mock appreciation, "A noble sentiment..." Then he gave an evil smile. "But are you prepared to let the death of the king lie on your heads?"

Alicia stiffened_. No! I can't let Robotnik kill Daddy! --Even if he isn't really my father.-- ...This wasn't supposed to happen. If the King dies, it's my fault! _Tears filled her eyes. She knew what the right thing to do was. King Acorn was right—a world where he died but Robotnik failed was far better than one in which Robotnik won and the King was forever imprisoned in another zone.

And yet... despite all this, she couldn't do it. She couldn't allow Sally's father to die. She raised her hands. "I surrender."

"Excellent," Robotnik gloated.

Disheartened, the soldiers surrendered as well.

The King hung his head in disappointment.

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

A bit later...

"Have you **no** honor, Julian? No sense of **responsibility **or **loyalty?**" The King demanded.

"_Oh_, but I **do**, King Acorn! I have a responsibility to bring **order** to the **chaos** that is the world!" Robotnik said in a noble voice. "And with the aid of my **greatest discovery**, I have the means **necessary** to carry out my **plans!**"

Snively pulled back a curtain. Several Mobians were restrained and held in a line leading to a round platform with a glass cylinder on top of it. Inside the tube was a green, glowing mist and a robot cat the size and proportion of a Mobian. The mist began to clear, and the glass tube lifted. The robot cat stepped off the platform and marched over to stand near one of the room's doors.

The Swatbots forced the person at the front of the line, a bird, onto the platform, and the glass cylinder came down over him. The cylinder filled with green mist again, and began glowing brightly. Tiny lines, like circuitry, spread over the bird's body. Then bits of metal began to replace the circuitry and cover the bird's feathers. Metal covered feathers fused together, and when the metal reached the bird's joints mechanical hinges and sliding joints appeared in the metallic exoskeleton. Finally his eyes pushed in and changed shape, becoming rectangular openings covered in glass or plastic, and the mist began to clear.

Robotnik laughed cruelly. "**Behold **my **roboticizer**—" he said as the glass chamber opened and the robot bird marched over to stand behind the robot cat. A teenage girl cat was forced into the machine next. "—able to **transform** any **living creature **into a **programmed metal automaton**—" The green mist once more filled the chamber, and the cat's body was encased in metal, her insides mechanized, and her brain transformed into the silicon of computer circuits. "—subservient to **my will** and **my** will **alone!**"

The glass opened and the cat joined the other two robots. Now a turtle was forced onto the platform, and the horrific procedure began again. "**Look** at them!" Robotnik said with glee. "Lining up in **assembly-line** fashion!" The process finished and the robotic turtle marched over to the other roboticized Mobians. "Emerging as the **ultimate product **of my **new world order!**"

"This is **monstrous!**" the King said in outrage and disbelief.

"That depends on your **point of view! **In **my** version, **you** are the **enemy**—and must be **eliminated **for the good of **all!**"

Robotnik turned to Alicia. "Now, to deal with you. Your abilities are quite impressive. You'll make a useful robot. Take her to the roboticizer!" "

Alicia hung her head as the Swatbots escorted her to the Roboticizer. She felt so weak and stupid to let this happen to her. But what was she supposed to do? She toyed with the notion of breaking free—after all, the King didn't have a gun to his head right now. However, chances were Robotnik or one of his bots would raise one at the King if she did break free. She had to play along to prevent the King from being killed.

How did she get herself into this? She was supposed to be saving the King, and stopping Robotnik, not becoming one of Robotnik's first robotic slaves. What had she been thinking, trying to take on Robotnik's forces single-handedly? ...And yet, it had almost worked. It would have worked, if she hadn't been so caught up in herself, or if she had been willing to sacrifice her father. There it was again. She kept thinking of the King as her father. And yet, he wasn't her father, he was Sally's father. But did that mean they weren't related?

No, they must be related! After all, she was a copy of Sally—didn't that make her Sally's relative? But what was their relationship? That was the crucial question.

As the glass tube dropped down over her, she thought wryly, _Here I am about to be roboticized, and I'm trying to figure out my family tree. Just great._ And yet, before she lost her free will, she wanted to know who she was. She had named herself already, and she knew why she had been created. But the one thing she didn't understand was one thing most people took for granted—who her family was.

As the tube filled with the green mist, Alicia had an epiphany. She did know why she had been created—and it wasn't to protect the King. She was created by Techno-Sonic to create a better future by stopping Robotnik. And Sally had given her DNA, form, and memories to this creation to help fulfil that cause. These facts alone suggested an answer to her question. But it also pointed out that she had more important concerns. She had been created for a purpose, and it was her responsibility to do everything in her power to fulfil that purpose. And yet, she had not done that.

Unfortunately, even as she had these thoughts, green energy coursed over her body, and her flesh began to be replaced with machinery. It seemed she had come to her realization too late...

At the roboticizer controls, Snively called out to Robotnik, "We're getting a bit of feed-back, sir."

"What?! Is it enough to interfere in the roboticization?"

"I don't think so, sir."

"You don't **think** so?!" Robotnik hurried to the controls and took over. "Blast this infernal machine. The only way this sort of feedback should be possible is if the subject were cybernetic. But that's impossible... Though, on second thought, that might explain her abilities..." He fiddled with some dials, and, though the machine sparked and clanked, it managed to finish the process, transforming Alicia into a metal-clad robot.

The tube rose, and Alicia stepped down. She held her hands in front of her, and stared at them.

"What is she doing, sir?" Snively asked.

Robotnik shook his head. "Never mind that. Bot Zero-Zero-Eight, state your allegiance." The Alicia bot mumbled something.

"Speak up!" Robotnik demanded.

Alicia slowly walked towards Robotnik and the King. When she was just a few feet away Robotnik asked, "Well?"

Alicia spoke up. "I said—" She plunged her fist into Robotnik's gut. "'I am a loyal subject of Princess Sally!'"

The King stared at her with a perplexed expression. "A subject of... Sally?"

Robotnik doubled over in pain. "Swatbots! Destroy her! And the King, too, if she resists."

The Swatbots raised their guns at her and the King.

Alicia responded, "I don't think so. I was sent here on a mission, and it's high time I fulfill it!" There was only a handful of Swatbots in the room, so she quickly dealt with them.

By that time, Robotnik had recovered, and pulled out a gun and pointed it at the King. "Surrender now, or I kill King Acorn!"

Alicia dashed between the two of them. "Oh, really?"

Robotnik raised an eyebrow. "So you would take the blast instead of him? That works fine for me. But first, tell me, how was it you managed to maintain your will?"

Alicia shrugged. "I was well built, I guess."

"Built?! What is that suppos—" Robotnik broke off, and his eyes widened.

"What?" Then Alicia realized Robotnik was staring at her, and looked down at herself. She saw that the metal on her body was melting away, and fur was starting to grow on it. She was returning to normal! "Wow. I was built even better than I thought!"

Robotnik began to tremble in disbelief. Then, realizing she was distracted, he steadied his gun, and fired.

Alicia fell to the floor, a smoking hole in her chest. The King stared at her in shock, and Robotnik smiled.

Robotnik turned to the worker bots. "Dispose of this mess." Then he grabbed the King and hurried out of the room.

Snively watched as the bots approached Alicia's body. But then she moaned, and slowly sat up. Snively jumped in shock, then began backing away from her. "But, she should be dead!"

Alicia got to her feet shakily, and the bots paused, uncertain what to do. Snively couldn't believe his eyes. The girl had reverted to completely biological, and the wound in her chest was shrinking fast.

She glanced in his direction, and he froze—except for the trembling. She smiled in amusement for a moment, then turned towards the door and ran out.

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

"No matter how long it takes, Julian, **somehow** I will **stop** you!" the King said as they entered a room covered in mystic symbols.

"**Courageous **words, sire," Robotnik said, "but where **you're** going, that **won't** be **possible!****Open** the portal!"

Several Swatbots had joined them as they headed to the room, and now one of them went to a console and pushed a few buttons. One of the walls opened along a horizontal line, the bottom half receding into the floor and the top moving up into the ceiling. Beyond the wall was a swirling vortex of orange and yellow energy and clouds. A wind picked up as the vortex began drawing in the air from the room.

Robotnik spoke to King Acorn. "May I present—the **Zone of Silence!** **Impressive**, isn't it? Your former court wizard Naugus discovered it some years ago. Be sure to give him and **Kodos** your **former** warlord my regards! A **safe** journey, my once and **former** king!

"--Swatbots! Toss him into the void!"

"Wait! We have unfinished business, Robotnik."

Robotnik turned to see Alicia standing there, the wound in her chest reduced to a bruise. He stammered, "B-but I killed you!"

Since Robotnik hadn't rescinded the order, the two Swatbots that had the King continued to drag him towards the portal. Alicia raced over to them and demolished the Swatbots.

She winked at the King, then began walking towards Robotnik, a fierce smile on her face. "The likes of you destroy a technimal like me? I may be still learning my new body's abilities, but I'm still more than a match for you, Ro-butt-nik!"

_I can't believe I just said that,_ Alicia thought.

"Technimal? Interesting term. Regardless, I suspect you don't quite know what you're getting yourself into."

"Let's find out." She launched herself at him, and began pummeling his rotund body. He swiped at her, knocking her to the ground, and hammered his fists down at her, putting his weight into it. Between his punches, she leapt up, punching him in the face, breaking his nose.

He cursed and stepped back, one hand over his bleeding nose, the other reaching behind him to pull out his gun. He aimed it at her and fired, but she easily dodged, and ran towards him. He held up his hands to guard his face, but she went into a slide, and as she came underneath him, braced herself with her arms and used her legs to knock his out from under him.

He fell onto his back, and she launched herself into the air using just her arms, coming down on top of him. She gave him a few more good punches in the face, knocking a few of his teeth loose and breaking one of his mechanical eyes. Then she sunk her hands into his thick neck, pushing for his throat and spinal column. "It ends now, Robotnik."

Suddenly, flashes of blue light filled the room. Alicia looked behind her, and saw bolts of blue electricity converging on one point in the air. A moment later, blue smoke and fire exploded out of that point, and when it cleared, an imposing figure stood there. It was a mechanical version of Robotnik, but, as Alicia had seen in the battle with Techno-Sonic, it glowed blue.

The robot held out its right hand, and a ball of blue energy formed in it. "Get off of him right now, or I'll disintegrate you on the spot."

Alicia slowly let go of Robotnik and stepped down beside him. "Chrono-nik, I presume?"

He nodded. "You didn't really think you'd escaped my attention, did you?"

She ignored the question, and demanded, "What have you done with Techno Sonic?"

"Techno Sonic? Oh, you must be referring to this piece of scrap." Chrono-nik waved his left hand, and several pieces of twisted metal and circuitry appeared and fell to the floor. Among them was (most of) a cybernetic hedgehog head. Alicia recognized it as Sonic's.

The eyes of the head moved to look at her, and it moaned, "Sally? --No, Alicia."

Alicia put her hands to her mouth. "Techno-Sonic!"

Beside her, Robotnik slowly sat up, and rubbed his neck.

Sonic's head moaned, "I'm sorry for putting you through this, Sally."

"Alicia. My name's Alicia. And what do you mean you're sorry? For putting me through what?"

"All of this. The cloning, the time-travel. The hope you might be able to change things... and now this. I failed, and doomed both of us. I'm so sorry."

"No, Sonic, don't be sorry. If it weren't for you and this mission, I wouldn't have even been created. And even if I die now, even if our mission was in vain, it was worth it. We had to try; and even a short life is better than none."

Standing up, Robotnik said, "This is all very poignant, but exactly who are you?!" He addressed this question to Chrono-nik.

Chrono-nik smiled. "Why, can't you tell? I'm a future version of you. I've come back in time to deal with these two troublemakers."

Robotnik scowled. "I don't need your help."

"Funny, it didn't look that way when I arrived. Regardless, these two are my problem—they are only even here because Sonic managed to get his hands on one of my time-machines, and had the audacity to think he could change history."

"And the girl?"

"I had assumed it was the teenage Princess Sally, but it appears I was wrong. Well, 'Alicia'? If you're not Sally, then who are you?"

She folded her arms. "I am the daughter of Techno Sonic and Princess Sally."

Everyone (including Techno Sonic) asked in disbelief, "What?!"

Techno Sonic asked, "My ...daughter?"

"Yes, your daughter. I've been trying to figure out what my relationship to Sally was ever since you created me. Finally, it struck me: Sally gave her DNA to create me, and your nanites put me together—with a few modifications, I noticed. Technically speaking, that makes you and Sally my parents. (Of course it would also make you my **mother** and Sally my **father**, but I don't think we need to get quite that technical)."

"Er, yeah, let's not." He thought over what she'd said. "I... hadn't thought of it that way."

Chrono-nik was amused. He glanced over at the King. "So, how does it feel to know you're a grandfather?"

The King was speechless.

Chrono-nik yawned. "Well, I hate to interrupt this family reunion, but I have things to do, so if there are no objections, I'll destroy Alicia and Sonic now, and leave the rest of you to your business."

Robotnik held up his hand. "Wait!"

"What is it?"

"This 'Alicia' doesn't deserve a quick death, not after the trouble she's caused me."

"What would you suggest, then?"

Robotnik glanced at the King. "Why not send her into the Zone of Silence with her...'grandfather'?"

Chrono-nik considered that. "Interesting notion. Yes, I think that would be fitting." He turned his gaze to Alicia. "So, what'll it be? Do you wish to be annihilated right now, or would you rather accompany the King into the Zone of Silence, and have a chance to get to know each other before the Zone drives you insane—and it will, I assure you. Even most Technimals have difficulty adapting to the Zone of Silence, and I must say, you're not much of a Technimal."

Alicia stared back at him, considering her options. She couldn't give up, could she? She was a Freedom Fighter, right? Well… not really, but still… she **had** decided to do all she could to stop Robotnik. But what else could she do? If she tried to attack either Robotnik or Chrono-nik, Chrono-nik would fire, and she would almost certainly be destroyed. She didn't know how powerful the blast would be, or whether she might be able to dodge it, but seeing as how he'd managed to beat her newly proclaimed "father" Techno-Sonic, her chances didn't look good. After all, Techno-Sonic was at least as powerful as she was, and more importantly, he knew how to use that power. If he had lost, what chance did she stand?

It was irrational, she knew, but she kept thinking the real Sally would have been able to come up with some other way out of it. But right now, the only options she could think of were to attack, even knowing the odds, and trust in luck to save her, or to surrender and live to fight another day—if she ever got out of the Zone of Silence. Luck had served Sonic and Sally well in the old days, but these days it seemed Alicia and Techno-Sonic's luck had run out. Was she willing to bet her life, and the King's, on blind luck, which had failed them so badly thus far?

Alicia sighed. It didn't feel right, and she knew it wasn't what Sonic or Sally would have done, but she only saw one way out of this. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Letting out as a sigh, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Daddy." Even she wasn't sure which father she was addressing it to.

Then opened her eyes and turned to Chrono-nik. "Very well. You have me. I'll go with the King."

Chrono-nik was shocked. "You will?!" His eyes narrowed. "What sort of game are you playing now?"

"No game. You did it. You won. I know I can't beat you."

Chrono-nik paused, waiting for her to get to the punch line. When she didn't say anything more, his eyes widened. He glanced down at Techno Sonic. "You must be ashamed, to have such a coward for a daughter."

After a moment's hesitation, Techno Sonic answered wryly, "Well, at least it looks like she's going to manage to keep her head on her shoulders. That's better than I managed."

Chrono-nik sneered at him. Then he turned to Robotnik. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Eh? Oh, yes." He walked up to the King, and picked him up from behind. He then walked towards the portal, until the wind grew so strong it threatened to pull the King from his grasp. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Goodbye, my once and former king. Don't forget to write!" He let go, and the King was sucked into the vortex.

As he disappeared, the King yelled out, "**I'll get you, Julian!**"

Chrono-nik told Alicia, "Your turn, unless you've changed your mind."

"Can I take Sonic with me?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not letting him out of my grasp."

Alicia nodded. "I expected as much." She looked at Sonic. "Good-bye ...Daddy." With that, she turned and calmly walked into the portal. As it closed behind her, Sonic whispered, "Goodbye, Alicia... my daughter..."

Chrono-nik glanced down at him. "Oh, shut up." He stomped down on Techno-Sonic's head, smashing it to pieces.

A smile spread over his face as he slid his foot across the pieces, flattening them. "I've been waiting so long to do that."

The he stepped back, and fired the ball of energy in his right hand at the remains of Techno-Sonic's head. In a flash of blue light, the remains were reduced to a few glowing embers, which soon faded away.

"At last... it's over."

Robotnik looked at him curiously. "Over?"

"My battle with Sonic."

"And what of our conquest of Mobius?"

"With his death, the resistance is ended. Our triumph... and my revenge—is complete."

"And are there no new worlds to conquer?"

Chrono-nik laughed. "Of course. There always is. ...Yes, there is still much to be done."

"Then, your revenge may be complete, but our work has only begun."

"Indeed. And on that note, I must be going. Good luck with conquering Robotropolis."

"And good luck on conquering the universe."

"Oh, I have my sights set much higher than that. Heh-heh-heh." Blue electricity coursed over Chrono-nik's body, and in a flash of light and smoke, he vanished.

Robotnik stood there a moment, staring. "Higher? What could possibly be higher?"

As he walked out of the room, he mused, "Sonic. Wasn't that the name of Jules Hedgehog's little brat? Hmmm..."

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

End "Visitors to the Past"


	5. Extra: Visitors to the Silence

Author's Note: The following was originally intended to be "Chapter Five" of the "Absolute Power" story-line. I never posted it because I didn't like the direction it was going in, and was going to write a different "Chapter Five". However, that doesn't seem to be happening, so I figured I might as well post this, as a "Special Feature" if nothing else.

Credits: Most of this chapter was written by Ken Penders and appeared under the name "And One will Save Him" in Sonic the Hedgehog issue 41. Adapted to text form and modified for use in "Absolute Power" by Chronos.

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

Absolute Power:

Visitors to the Silence

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

What Has Gone On Before:

Some time ago, Knothole was visited by "Techno-Sonic", a cybernetic version of Sonic from the future. He warned them of how Robotnik would one day gain the power of time-travel and become so powerful there was no chance of ever beating him. Techno-Sonic also warned Sally of several specific tragedies that would occur which she might be able to prevent or at least lessen. He then created a copy of Princess Sally, and then he and the copy traveled to the time of Robotnik's coup with the intention of preventing it. For unknown reasons, they failed.

Since then the Freedom Fighters have fought Robotnik many more times, and many things have happened. Robotnik created a super-robot called EVE to destroy Sonic, but it turned on Robotnik and seemingly destroyed him before heading off into space. Robotnik somehow returned, however.

More recently, Rotor completed his Inter-Zonal Multi-Dimensional Framistat, allowing the Freedom Fighters to venture into the Zone of Silence and attempt to rescue the King. In the Zone they found the King, but he had apparently lost his mind, and treated them as enemies. They were forced to retreat, but they have not given up hope, and plan to try again...

Not long after this, an earthquake hit Robotropolis, devastating the city. Mere days later, Sonic discovered the legendary Lake of Rings, the mythical place of origin of the Power Rings.

But before the Freedom Fighters were truly able to take advantage of either of these fortuitous events, the bounty hunter Nack the Weasel captured Sonic and took him to Robotnik. Robotnik roboticized Sonic, and set him loose upon Knothole.

Although "Mecha-Sonic" was defeated and restored to his original self, Knothole was virtually demolished in the battle. It has taken some time for the villagers to rebuild, time which Robotnik has used to rebuild his city as well.

End Recap.

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

"Click!" Sonic attached a clasp to one of the bars of a railing. Tied to the clasp was a rope, which he now, in turn, tied to his legs.

Behind him lie the ruins of the city of Robotropolis. In front of him was a deep gulf, like an artificial crater. Rising from the center of the crater was a mechanical tower. It was fully intact, suggesting it had been constructed after the earthquake.

Sonic looked down into the crater, arms outstretched. He then leaped...

Down, down, he fell, towards a glass window in the metal surface of the crater, the rope trailing behind him. At the last moment, he went into Sonic Spin, smashing through the window (and, incidentally, cutting the rope; but he didn't need it anymore).

"KRAAAASH!"

"Egads! It's Sonic the Hedgehog once again!" Robotnik said, turning at the sound. "You must think you're so golden-- eying me like this!"

"I-- spying?" Sonic asked.

Sonic buzzed through two of Robotnik's Swatbot guards, trashing them. "Since when was I ever subtle?"

He stopped in front of a computer panel. "Besides, with all the damage your city's been hit with, all I need to do is get what I came for, and run!" He pushed a button, and a panel opened up, revealing a computer chip. "Trying to bag me yourself is the real trick!"

"You've pushed your luck too far this time, Hedgehog!" Robotnik said, shaking his fist. Two Swatbots raised their arms and pointed their guns at Sonic. "For once I'm not interested in taking prisoners and roboticizing them!

"FIRE!" The Swatbots fired at Sonic.

"Hoo-hah!" Sonic laughed, dodging. "You snooze, you lose! I got what I came for!"

He zoomed past the Swatbots and headed towards the door. As he left, he called out, "My compliments on the hospitality! Hasta la vista, Doc!" And with that, he was gone.

Robotnik snarled. "Oooooh... How I really hate that Hedgehog!"

Soon, Sonic was racing through the Great Forest, towards Knothole. "I'd better pour on the juice--" he said to himself, "before time runs out for everyone!"

Moments later, Sonic burst into one of the huts of Knothole.

"Sonic!" Sally said, "I take it you were successful!"

"Well, if he wasn't, luv, there's still one bloke you can depend on!" Geoffrey St. John said smugly.

"In your dreams, Clyde! This hedgehog takes a back seat to nobody!"

"Stop it!" Sally said forcefully. "Stop it, both of you! You're like boys with toys! This isn't time for fun and games!"

"Truer words were never spoken, Princess!" Rotor spoke up. Everybody turned to look at him. He was working at his massive computer. "In fact, it's even worse than I feared! I thought we stopped the Zone of Silence from expanding into our reality and consuming it last time, giving us a chance to rethink how to retrieve King Acorn.

"However, I have since discovered that although Robotnik's Energy Inhibitor may have saved Mobius, it had a terrible cost. The Inhibitor has created a black hole which is sucking in the contents of the Zone. It is only a matter of time before the Zone collapses, destroying everything within it-- including the King.

"Fortunately, I have been able to construct a Neutralizer', which will balance the Zone's natural expansive nature with the implosive power of the black hole, thus allowing both universes to exist side by side without destroying each-other."

Rotor peered down into the eyepieces of one of his instruments. "Using this component Sonic liberated from Robotnik, we have the missing piece necessary to make the neutralizer work!

"With it, we stand a chance of recovering King Acorn and saving a universe!" He handed Sally a metal tube.

"Not we, Rotor!" Sally said as she took the tube. "This is my father we're talking about! We made it out last time by the skin of our teeth! There aren't any guarantees we'll do it again!

"I've got to do this alone!"

"Beg y'pardon, Princess, but it's your job t'stay an'lead!" Geoffrey disagreed. "As the senior operative of the King's Special Services, it's m'job to risk life an' limb!"

Sonic looked at her. "Much as I hate to admit it, he's right Sal! You have to stay, and depend on yours truly to come through once again!"

"When she needs an amateur, mate, she'll let y'know! This here's a job for grownups!"

"Who? You?! Wake up and smell the coffee, pal!"

"Listen-- I'm not going to split hairs with you-- unless I have to!" Geoffrey said, raising his bow and aiming it at Sonic.

"Chill, dude! After all, if there's any splitting to be done, it'll be the split second timing by the Hedgehog--" Sonic responded, moving, in a flash, around Geoffrey and stopping right behind him. He tapped Geoffrey on the shoulder, and finished his sentence, "--delivering a splitting headache to the skunk! Have a migraine on me, pal!"

Sonic gave Geoffrey a swift uppercut to the side of his face. "That's your best shot, mate?!" Geoffrey said incredulously. "I've been hit by pillows that were harder!"

The two now engaged in an all out brawl.

"This isn't getting us anywhere, guys!" Sally said pushing the two apart. "You can settle this later! Right now, we have a job to do! Open the portal, Rotor!"

Sonic growled at Geoffrey, "This isn't over yet-- not by a long shot!"

"Anytime and anywhere, mate!"

"One more thing," Rotor said, "these jet packs I've designed should handle maneuvering through the Zone! However," he said, holding up one of the jet packs, "I haven't had the chance to fully work out all the bugs, so be careful!"

"Be careful?! Got anything more reliable?" Sonic asked.

"Nothing that will get you through the Zone like these will!"

Geoffrey eyed Sonic and said, "Squawk! Squawk! Squawk! I think I hear some hen clucking!"

As Sonic, Geoffrey, and Sally pulled on the jet-packs, Sonic said, "Ver-ry funny, wise guy!"

"I thought so too!

"After you!"

Rotor turned a final dial on the portal generator, and the swirling, light blue surface of the portal tunnel appeared, seemingly extending into infinity.

"Good luck, gang!"

"We'll be back, Rotor," Sonic said, giving him a thumbs-up. As the trio entered the tunnel, Sonic continued, "--And don't forget to leave the light on for us!"

"Not to mention the welcome mat! Just come back safe and sound!"

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

The warrior who had once been King Acorn stared off into the vastness of space. He wore dark armor and a billowing cape, but he had not retrieved the masked helmet he had wore in his battle with the Freedom Fighters. "I sense his arrival! Sonic the Hedgehog, the only foe to invade my domain and escape my wrath! He will not be so fortunate this time!"

"He had better not be!" The King turned. Standing there was a woman dressed in green. A veil covered much of her face, revealing only her eyes. They were large, and a beautiful shade of blue, but they were cold and cruel as well. Her clothes were billowy, in Arabian fashion, but she also wore dark gray boots, gloves, and a cape.

She continued, "The master was most displeased to learn that you had failed to capture that group of intruders. If it weren't for your previously stellar record, your punishment would have been most severe. You had better not fail, this time..."

"Of course not, my Lady. I swear, I shall not fail the master again!"

A toad hopped up and tapped on the King's leg. "EH? What is it, Toady?"

"I beg your lordship's indulgence, but it's been awhile since the pack has been fed a decent meal! All they ask is a crumb or two, sire!"

"Your groveling is impeccable, as always, my faithful footstool! But your timing leaves a lot to be desired!" The King said, angrily. "However--"

"Father!"

"Eh? What did you say, toady?" The King turned. "Toady?! That's not Toady!!" Grasping on to a floating boulder were three Mobians: a teenage boy hedgehog the King recognized as Sonic, a teenage girl chipmunk (who had came with Sonic the last time), and a male skunk.

The chipmunk called out, "We haven't much time!"

Speaking to his troops, the King said, "Stand your ground, all of you!!!"

The chipmunk continued, with a concerned look on her face, "Father! Don't you remember me-- your daughter?"

"My daughter?!"

"Does he have hallucinations like this often?" the lady in green asked Toady.

"Never, my ladyship. I have never seen the like of this before."

The King looked around. The three Mobians and their floating boulder were nowhere to be seen. "Toady?! My Lady? Where did you disappear to? What happened to those three intruders?"

"Disappear? I haven't gone anywhere sire! I've always been here!" Toady said.

The Green Lady tilted her head back and said, "There hasn't been anyone else here since I arrived. You were hallucinating, Dark Knight. I shall have to report this to the Master."

With a concerned look on his face, Toady asked, "Is something wrong?"

The Dark Knight responded, "That depends on whether I choose to believe what I think I saw, and if I'm correct as to what it all means!"

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

Elsewhere in the Zone, Sonic, Sally, and Geoffrey floated through space.

"Hey, guys! I'm getting a funny feeling--" Sally said.

"I don't blame ya, luv, what wit' hangin' around the hedgehog all th' time!"

"Somethin' stinks alright! And I'll give you just three--"

"Sonic! Don't be rude! It was only Nicole trying to get my attention!" Sally pulled out her hand held computer, Nicole.

Nicole said in her emotionless but pleasant-sounding voice, "And not a moment too soo, Princess. My sensors are picking up some disturbing fluctuations in the magnetic field!"

There was a flash of light in front of them, and they found themselves hurtling though space. Finally, they came to rest on a small boulder floating in the void.

"Fluctuations, did you say?" Geoffrey groaned.

"An early warning would be appreciated next time, Nicole!" Sally said.

"I try, Princess."

"WAIT! What's this?" Sonic said, picking something up. "It's the helmet your father was wearing when we last saw him!"

"But that would mean-- that--" Sally said, putting her hands over her mouth.

"Don't even think it, luv, not 'til we 'ave all the facts!"

"Surrender, or else face the consequences!"

"I don't believe it!" Sonic said.

"Will you look at that?" Geoffrey added.

Some ways away they could see King Acorn-- wearing not only his dark armor, but a helmet just like the one Sonic held in his hand. He rode a dark horse with glowing purple eyes, and arrayed beside and behind him were his monstrous gray troops. But more astonishing than that was who stood in front of him-- Sonic, Sally, and Antoine!

"This is so weird!" The Sonic in the team with Geoffrey said.

Speaking to the King, the other Sonic said, "That's not exactly a friendly way to start things off, bud!"

"I'm not your bud,' pal,' bro,' or any other term you may use to suggest familiarity!"

The Sally watching this scene said, "Maybe Nicole can explain!"

"Of course I can! That is my primary function!"

"Just what we need-- a computer with wit!"

"If you want charm, see me later. To answer your query, Dr Robotnik's experiments have affected the quantum energy levels of the Zone. By destroying energy at the basic atomic level, he has created rips' or holes' if you prefer. In effect, you have windows' allowing you to view events that have already taken place--" Space seemed to fold in on itself, as the "window" to the past began to close. Nicole continued, "--As well as events yet to come!"

"So, what we're seeing here is the image of what we experienced!" Sally said.

"Exactly!"

"Now what?" Geoffrey asked.

"What looks like two beggars of some sort walking among the stars!" Sally said, pointing to two figures some distance off. One was about the same size as Sonic and Sally, the other was a bit taller. They both wore hooded gray cloaks.

"There's a familiarity to th' taller one's strut!" Geoffrey noted.

The figures reached a barren floating island, and the tall one fell down on it's face. The second one fell to it's knees.

"They've collapsed!" Sally said with concern.

"Steady, Sal!" Sonic said. "We don't know if this is a rerun or a preview!"

A large group of the gray monstrous inhabitants of the Zone walked out of the mist towards the figures. The monsters helped the figures up and began leading them towards the island's mountains.

"Amazing!" Sonic said. "The same creatures we saw with your dad have come along--"

Geoffrey finished for him, "--And taken them to some sort of sanctuary!"

The trio floated over the island, towards the figures. As they approached the figures and with them, the sanctuary, Sonic said, "They're taking the taller one's hood off, and-- It's King Acorn!"

"They have Daddy!"

"I think the operative word is had', luv!" Geoffrey said as they landed on a ridge overlooking the sanctuary. "Look! They're bringing them to a vast furnace!"

King Acorn and the other figure stood in front of the furnace and knelt down.

"Why can't we hear anything?" Sally asked. "Nicole?"

"All evidence supports Mr. St. John's opinion we are watching events that took place some time ago! The further back an event took place the less real it seems!"

After several moments, the two figures stood up. King Acorn turned and walked towards the gray creatures. But the other one walked towards the open flames of the furnace--and steeped in.

"What's that other one doing?!"

"Th' bloke's insane!"

The figure vanished in a burst of flame and a puff of smoke.

"He--he killed himself! Why the heck did he go and do something like that?!" Sonic said. Turning back to the King and the gray creatures, he said, "Look! They've fitted your father with armor-- the same armor we found him in!"

Sally observed, "Even here, his regal bearing shows through! Look at how they present him with his helmet!" The King put on the proffered helmet and raised his left arm high above his head. Sally continued, "And now, it looks like a storm is coming!"

"And there's th' King-- leadin' 'is troops t' safety!"

"Wait!" Sonic said, as the wind swirled around them, "This storm isn't any image! It's REAL!"

As the wind blew them away from the fading image of the island, Sonic shouted, "HANG LOOSE!!"

Moments later, Sonic landed, face first, on another rocky island. "Doesn't anybody believe in soft landings?

"Hey, Sal? Sal?

"How about you, St. John?" But only silence answered Sonic queries. "Hmm... No answers!" He quickly glanced to his left and right, but saw no sign of Sally or Geoffrey. "Now I know I'm in trouble!"

"There's only one thing you need concern yourself with right now!

"You better hope you've lived a good life-- because my judgment is final!" Sonic turned to look behind him-- only to find himself facing the point of King Acorn's lance.

"gulp"

The King sat on his purple-eyed horse. Smoke drifted from his lance. Next to him rode a woman dressed in green, with her face covered. Her horse was blue, with glowing green eyes.

"This is one time, Sonic the Hedgehog, where you can't outrace you're fate!" the King said.

"I'm not even sure I'm even in the running!"

"So this is the Sonic' I've heard so much about!" the Lady in Green said. "Handsome devil. If I wasn't married to the master, I'd want him for myself!"

"Allow me to remove his head from his body, your majesty! Then you may look upon it whenever you like without arousing the master's displeasure!"

"No way," Sonic said. "I like my head where it-- IS?!!" Suddenly, in a flash of light, Sonic was sent flying. The next thing he knew, Sonic was lying on the floating boulder again, next to Sally and Geoffrey.

"Sally! St. John! What are you doing here?"

"Are you alright, mate? You've been here with us! Get with the program!"

"The Zone is collapsing, Sonic," Sally warned, "and I'm afraid there isn't a thing we can do to stop it!"

Sonic looked down. Rocks, islands, and inhabitants of the Zone were all being swept down in a giant swirl towards the black hole Rotor had spoke of. The boulder the trio were on was being swept in as well.

Sally continued, "With us being drawn into that cosmic whirlpool, we'll be lucky to save ourselves, let alone my father!"

"There's gotta be a way out of this for everyone!" Sonic said. "Maybe Nicole has a suggestion?"

"Well, Nicole, do you? Nicole?"

"I'm processing..."

"Well?"

"Try prayer."

"This is just dinkum! Screwy machine! If only our jet packs worked!" Geoffrey said.

"Interesting point! Just why aren't the jet packs working?" Sally asked.

"Essentially, they're out of fuel."

"Well, yes, that's as good an explanation as any, I suppose! Any way, can we recharge them?"

"Only if you are able to access energy with a positive charge."

"Can't run on just anything, eh? It figures." Geoffrey commented.

"WAIT! What's that?!" Sonic exclaimed.

"One thing's for sure," Geoffrey commented, "whatever it is, it's got plenty o' company!"

A seemingly endless mass of the gray creatures floated down towards the black-hole, at a much faster rate than the rest of the swirling rubble.

"King Acorn's minions! They're heading into the whirlpool!"

"I just thought of something, guys!" Sally said, as they grasped onto the boulder to avoid being sucked into the vortex. "The Neutralizer is a source of positive energy!"

"Isn't that a good one?!" Sonic said. "We have a choice between getting us out of here or preserving the Zone and remaining here!"

"Perhaps I can make the choice for you!" Out of a bank of mist rode King Acorn and the Green Lady, on their horses. The King pointed his lance at the three of them. Smoke began to rise from the lance.

"Give your device to me, and I may let you live!" the King announced. "Refuse and no one gets out of here!"

"Father! We haven't much time!"

Speaking to his troops, the King said, "Stand your ground, all of you!!!"

Sally continued, with a concerned look on her face, "Father! Don't you remember me-- your daughter?"

"My daughter?!"

"It's no use, Sal! He doesn't remember! He's been here so long, it's affected his memory!

"Only one chance-- if St. John is game!"

"I can handle anything you can think of, an' then some!"

The King's lance began to flame. "My patience is wearing thin! You won't succeed by trying to confuse me!"

"NOW!" Sonic shouted.

Sally cried, "Geoffrey!! Wha--?!" as Geoffrey pushed her off the boulder.

Meanwhile, Sonic jumped at the King, punching him in the face. "Forgive me, sire-- I'm not sure Sally will, after this!"

Geoffrey grabbed onto Sally, and activated her jet pack, sending them flying away from the scene of the battle.

"Geoffrey!" Sally cried, "You're using the neutralizer to power my jet-pack! What about the inhabitants of this Zone?"

The Green Lady scowled. "Those two are getting away!" She signaled her horse, and it began galloping after them.

"It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings!" Geoffrey told Sally. "An' she hasn't started yet!"

"What about Sonic?"

"He's a big boy, luv! He'll be right fine!"

"Blasted!" the Green Lady said, realizing that Sally's jet-pack was faster than her horse. She galloped back to Sonic and the King.

"My! Aren't we the Hero!" the King said as he fought Sonic. "There's only one thing you need concern yourself with right now!

"You better hope you've lived a good life-- because my judgment is final!"

The king pointed his lance at Sonic, and smoke rose from it. Sonic gulped.

The Green Lady brought her horse up beside the King's.

"This is one time, Sonic the Hedgehog, where you can't outrace you're fate!" the King said.

"I'm not even sure I'm even in the running!"

"So this is the Sonic' I've heard so much about!" the Lady in Green said. "Handsome devil. If I wasn't married to the master, I'd want him for myself!"

"Allow me to remove his head from his body, your majesty! Then you may look upon it whenever you like without arousing the master's displeasure!"

"No way," Sonic said. "I like my head where it is!"

The Green Lady gave a dismissive wave. "Kill him however you like, Knight. It is of no concern to me. It was just a passing fancy anyway."

"As you say, your majesty." He turned to Sonic. "I am the master of this domain, and you will submit your will in service to me-- or you will be one sorry hedgehog!"

"How about we flip for it? Heads, you win! Tails, I--" Sonic zoomed around the King faster than the eye could see, and hit him hard on the back of the head. "--juice like I never have before!"

"I'll take that," Sonic said, climbing onto the horse as the King fell unconscious.

The Green Lady had been watching this, and said, "So, Sonic, you defeated the Dark Knight. I'm impressed!

"...But my master won't be, which is why I have to destroy you now. It's nothing personal, you understand." She raised her left hand in a fist, and flames appeared on it. She opened her hand, and a ball of fire formed in it. She flung it at Sonic, but Sonic jumped off the horse over the fireball, and towards the Green Lady.

"Well, nothing personal on my side either, but I can't let you do that, so I'll have ta beat you!"

"Arrogant fool!" the Lady laughed. "Do you really think you're a match for me?" She held up her right hand, and a shield of ice appeared in front of her. Sonic hit the shield, and bounced off of it.

"Oh, man," Sonic moaned as he tumbled through space.

The Lady laughed again. "You see? I am a student of the great sorcerer, Lord Ixus Naugus! You don't stand a chance against me!"

_Now this, I hadn't planned for!_ Sonic thought.

The Green Lady moved her hands around the ice shield in a complex gesture, and it changed shape into a spear. She then flung this at Sonic.

"Oh, boy. Time to think on my feet. Only problem is, I'm **not** on my feet! Well, can't let that stop me!"

The ice spear was headed straight at Sonic, but it took a few seconds to reach him. Usually, something so slow wouldn't have been a problem for Sonic, but without any ground to run on, dodging the spear would be difficult.

Then he remembered, in the Zone of Silence, gravity was optional. You could stand on boulders and islands if you wished, but it was equally easy to float around through void-- if you could get used to it. Sonic hadn't, but he decided now was not the time to worry about that.

He spun his legs as if he were on ground-- and started moving. He dodged the spear, then let himself drift again. The Lady began lobbing fireballs at him, but before any had time to reach him, he was able to perform his "figure-eight peel-out maneuver." This allowed him to reach speeds otherwise unattainable without a Power Ring (which he had neglected to bring).

He rocketed towards the Lady, dodging her fire. As he approached her, he went into a Sonic Spin.

She made an ice shield once again, but in his spin, he cut right through it. He then broke out of the spin, and delivered a two-fisted punch that knocked her out and off her horse.

"Well, that wasn't so bad!" Sonic said. He hopped off her horse and floated towards the black horse the King still lie on.

Sonic got on the horse and shouted, "Hi-yo, Black Beauty away!"

Sonic rode the horse at a gallop, and caught up with Sally and Geoffrey, who were now coasting.

"What took ya so long, mate?"

"Oh, that woman in green gave me a bit more trouble than I expected. No biggie, though. Activate the neutralizer, St. John! We've got a universe to save!"

"All in a day's work, mate!" Geoffrey said. A huge blast of yellow-gold light shot from the tube of the Neutralizer. "Ready or not, this one's for all the marbles!"

And with that, the flash of yellow light engulfed them.

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

The Green Lady slowly opened her eyes. "They got away! The master's not going to like this.

"It would appear I underestimated you, hedgehog. That is a mistake I shall **not **make again!"

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

"Rotor! The portal!" Tails cried, pointing to where Sonic was emerging, holding the King's limp form.

"Way ahead of you, Tails!" As the group emerged, Rotor asked, "Is everyone alright?"

"Get Doctor Quack immediately, Rotor!" Sonic said. "He's got a very important patient waiting for him!"

As he put the King down, Sonic asked, "What about the creatures in the Zone? Did the neutralizer save them?"

"Everything turned out just fine for them!" Rotor answered. "As it will for all of us one day."

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

_Interlude: _Another Zone, another time...

The lights of the city were like stars in the sky, but the sky over the city was dark, the true stars concealed behind a thick layer of smoke-clouds.

Deep, deep below the bustle of the city, in a small, dark, and dusty room, seven chambers, like metallic coffins, stood against the wall. Each chamber had a number painted on it, from "01" on the left to "07" on the right. Each chamber also had a control panel with a computer screen and a keyboard. Wires and pipes snaked from the caskets into the wall.

Suddenly, the lights flickered on. Small red and green lights on the control panels of the caskets began blinking.

After a few moments, with a hiss of escaping air, the caskets slowly opened. Within each casket lay a humanoid robot, six-and-a-half feet tall, and painted blue. They were heavily armored, and had faces with featureless eyes and mouths that were little more than jagged slits in their faces-- all in all very similar to the design of a Combot. On the left-hand side of their chest, each had a symbol shaped like an hour-glass, followed by a number-- the same number as on their casket.

Although they basically all looked alike, there were a few minor differences between a few of them. 01 was taller than the rest, by about half a foot, and "he" had spikes on his shoulders. 05 had a cannon on his right arm instead of a hand, and even his left arm had several guns attached to it. And 07 had claws on his fingers.

The robots stepped out of their caskets. 01 walked to the center of the room and stood facing the others, who all stood in a row. They stood, facing each-other for a moment, then 01 held out his right arm and called out "Hail Chrono-nik!" The others waited until he'd finished, then, in unison, returned the salute.

"Hail Chrono-nik!"

01 held its' arms at its' sides, and said, "Chrono-bot Strike Force Units Zero-Two to Zero-Seven, report readiness for duty."

"Unit Zero-Two ready for duty, Sir."

"Unit Zero-Three, all systems are 'go'."

"Unit Zero-Four functioning at optimum parameters, Sir."

"Unit Zero-Five ready for battle, Sir!"

"Unit Zero-Six ready for duty, as always."

"Unit Zero-Seven ready and waiting to carve up some Mobians."

01 nodded, and said, "You will have received a copy of our mission as you awoke. For redundancy's sake, I shall summarize. We are to travel to Chrono-nik's Zone of Origin, and back in time to just after he was ejected from it. We shall assume control of Robotropolis and its' subject territories, and take all necessary steps to obtain control of the rest of Planet Mobius. We will then begin upgrading its' robots and animals to technimals. We shall also stand ready to assist Chrono-nik in his plans of vengeance upon those who opposed him in the past.

"Are there any questions?"

07 asked, "Will I get to torture anyone?"

01 answered, "There are many who opposed Chrono-nik when he first attempted to conquer Mobius. Many will oppose us as well, and will need to be punished. Also, I am sure Chrono-nik will wish to employ your services in his quest for vengeance."

07's eyes glowed, and it slid it's finger-blades against each-other. "I can hardly wait," it said in anticipation.

01 said sternly, "However, you are not to unduly harm any Mobians without the prior approval of myself or Chrono-nik. It is not their fault they are inferior, and we must not give them reason to fear coming to us for upgrading."

"Aw, you're always spoiling my fun!"

01 glanced at the other Chrono-bots. "Are there any other questions?"

It was answered with a chorus of "No, Sir!"

"Very well. Chrono-bot Strike Force, move out!"

STHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTHSTH

Next: Either "The Freedom Fighters VS the Chrono-bots"... Or, "the Return of Alicia"!

Author's Note: I tell you what is "next" like I intend to continue this. However, that doesn't seem likely.


End file.
